You are at Korea University (KU). You hear a sound, and you follow it. As you step into an auditorium, you see a row of students, all with guitars in their hands, harmonizing and playing elegant music together. What you may have witnessed is a regular playing session of the Classical Guitar Club, KU’s one and only club that focuses on classical guitar playing. As a collective of students who have fallen in love with the soft and clear sounds of classical guitar, the members of the club share their passion for playing music through practice sessions and recitals.

The club’s name says it all; through the Classical Guitar Club, students from across campus gather to play and enjoy classical guitar pieces, as well as form friendships that may last a lifetime. The club does not discriminate; whether you have previously received a musical education or own an instrument of your own does not matter — all you need to join is zeal for the art of classical guitar.

Savoring the Joy of Music With Others

What do the members do once they get together? Do they simply play music side by side? As these questions inquire, it seems natural to wonder about the club’s identity. The truth is this club has successfully continued its legacy for several decades since its establishment in 1974 by diligently filling their calendar with diverse events to look forward to.

True to its name, music recitals are the most important events for the KU Classical Guitar Club. The club holds two recitals annually at the beginning of each semester: the Welcoming Recital in March and the Regular Recital in September. The scale can vary from a duo to a quartet to an ensemble of twenty to thirty people, and the music that is played varies from famous pieces with tradition to guitar renditions of pop songs to film scores.

During semesters, small-scale, casual recitals are held. One of them is the Newbie Presentation, in which new club members showcase their guitar-playing skills for the first time. A “salon” is another unique event where members group together according to their musical preference and perform their favorites at cafes near Anam.

It seems that members get together often and become close while preparing for these recitals. Therefore, with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, members had to get creative with their gatherings and performances. This July, for instance, a salon-slash-Newbie-Presentation was held without the presence of an audience. Nonetheless, club members made their music heard by live-streaming the entire performance and giving away small prizes at random for its participants.

Teamwork Fosters Harmony

Another aspect of the KU Classical Guitar Club is fostering relationships between members. Events such as seasonal Membership Training (MT) and year-end Christmas parties, complete with cocktails, help improve the teamwork needed to successfully play music together. Additionally, members arrange to meet with Yonsei University’s classical guitar club, Orpheus, as well as run an outdoor pub together during school festivals, consequently strengthening their bonds.

Explaining the KU Classical Guitar Club’s activities simply as “playing guitar together” does not seem to do it justice; there is a certain je ne sais quoi to the magical moments the members of this collective claim to enjoy together. For those who wish to put a finger on what that is, the only plausible next step seems to be to join the club themselves.

To gain insight into the workings of the KU Classical Guitar Club, The Granite Tower (GT) interviewed its president, Han Geon Hee (’19, Computer Science and Engineering).

GT: It seems like the guitar, whether classical or acoustic, is often played individually. What would be the virtues of playing the instrument with other people, as the club members do?

Han: We often play together as ensembles, which has many virtues. Not only does it make the playing more enjoyable, but it also fosters an attitude of consideration. When you play individually, you can play as fast or as slow as you want. In an ensemble, however, everyone must be on the same beat, like gears in a machine. In the process of adapting to each other’s flow, I think everyone feels a lot of happiness and accomplishment.

GT: How is the club proceeding with its usual events during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Han: Club activities had to be altered. Currently, members sometimes have dinner together via video calls. Also, small group meetings based on interests such as overseas soccer, online games, and alcoholic beverages are scheduled to begin soon. COVID-19 safety guidelines are strictly followed in the case of face-to-face meetings. Everyone must take their temperature, record their presence, and use hand sanitizers. Lessons with only two students per instructor and, once again, live-streamed recitals are scheduled to continue in the second semester.

GT: If a new member is a total novice to classical guitar, how would he or she learn?

Han: There is no need to be afraid to join. In fact, most new club members are total novices to classical guitar! As you receive lessons from preexisting members and perform at the Newbie Presentation, you will quickly become accustomed to classical guitar. Then, as you practice for the recital during vacation, your skills will improve in spades! Our club is always open to new members; however, if you wish to learn from classical guitar from the very beginning, it would be best if you joined at the start of the semester to go through the whole program.

Recruitment Information

All undergraduate students at KU are eligible to apply. Applications are accepted at all times.

For more information, please visit Room 606 of the Student Union Building or refer to the official club pages on Facebook(@kuguitar), Instagram(@ku_classicguitar), and YouTube.