A Performance of Remembrance for the Victims of Asian Hate Crimes

In partnership with HanSori, the University of Arkansas AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) Resource Group, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, and the Momentary, this performance pays musical tribute and remembrance to the lives lost on March 16, 2021, when eight people were fatally shot at three massage parlors in the Atlanta area, six of whom were of Asian descent. HanSori's performance is dedicated to the women, mothers, and sisters who have taken on numerous, often unrecognized, often quiet sacrifices to create a home for others and themselves.

'Umma-ya, Nuna-ya' ('Dear Mother, Dear Sister') is a traditional Korean folk song that expresses the longing for home. Composed during the time of Japanese colonial rule in Korea, the song centers around a little boy who calls out to his mother and older sister, expressing a desire to return to the riverbank, which symbolizes home and trouble-free times.

In response to the Atlanta shooting and other victims of hate crimes in years past, this performance combines the original music with performance and discussion about the increase in violence against AAPI communities.

Performers:

• Moon-Sook Park, soprano
• Er-Gene Kahng, violin
• Hanna Waldo, violin
• Dominic Na, cello
• Hyun Kim, piano

About HanSori:'HanSori' is Korean, where 'Sori' means 'sound' and 'Han' has multiple meanings, including 'pathos' and 'singular'. The idea, according to HanSori, was that 'we could come together through sound, and in times like this, express our grief and pathos through music.'

Enjoy the performance below, which took place at Crystal Bridges: