Han Terra facts for kids

Han Terra (born March 30, 1982) is a talented inventor, composer, and musician from South Korea. She was a child prodigy, meaning she showed amazing talent from a very young age. She started playing the kayageum, a traditional Korean string instrument, at age 4 and was performing by age 6!

Han Terra is also an inventor. She created a special 24-string musical instrument called the TeRra. This instrument even uses artificial intelligence!

She was the youngest kayageum musician to be supported by the Blanchette Rockefeller Fund. She also made her debut at the famous Carnegie Hall in New York City. Han Terra is a voting member of the Grammy Awards, which is a big deal for traditional East Asian musicians. She has also been recognized as a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

People know her as a polymath, someone who is good at many different things. Her talents include music, inventing instruments, arts, dance, languages, philosophy, psychology, history, literature, writing, fashion, design, technology, science, and aesthetics (the study of beauty). She has mastered both Eastern traditional arts like singing and dancing, and Western Classical Music. She performs all over the world.

Han Terra's Name and Family History

Han Terra was born in Seoul, South Korea. Her birth name was Laesuk, which means "Advent of Goodness" or "Goddess." When she was a teenager, a Buddhist priest gave her the name 'Myeong-wol' (Hangul: 명월; Hanja: 明月), meaning 'bright moon'. She also uses the pen name Dan-young (Hangul: 단영; Hanja: 澶濴). In the 2000s, she chose the name 'TeRra' after Terra, the ancient Roman earth goddess.

Han Terra belongs to the Cheongju Han clan, a famous family in Korea. This family is known for having many women who became (queens) throughout Korean history. In fact, 16 queens came from this clan! Her grandmother's family was involved in fashion and textiles and moved from Japan to Korea in the late 1920s.

Han Terra's Early Life and Talents

When Han Terra was young, she first wanted to be a pianist. She started piano lessons at age 4 and won a national music competition at age 6.

She began studying Korean traditional music at age 6. By age 8, she won the National Music Competition of Korea. She also trained in traditional Korean dances like Salpuri, the court dance Chunaeng-jeon, Buchae-chum, and Ipchum.

Han Terra also thought about becoming a journalist or a medical doctor. In 2002, she even played the main role in an independent film that was shown at a film festival at Seoul National University.

In 2015, a South Korean journalist named Byung-Wook Jang wrote a book about her called Gifted, TeRra.

Han Terra's Education and Learning

Han Terra studied traditional East Asian performing arts at top schools. She attended the National Gugak Middle and High School, which focuses on Korean traditional music. She earned her bachelor's, master's, and PhD degrees in music from Seoul National University.

She also researched traditional performing arts in other countries. She studied at Tokyo University of the Arts in Japan, Central Conservatory of Music in China, and Yanbian University in China. She learned to play other East Asian zither instruments, like the Japanese Koto, Shamisen, the Chinese Guzheng, and the Indian Sitar. This helped her understand the music of different Asian cultures.

Han Terra can speak many languages, including Korean, Japanese, Chinese, English, French, and Italian.

Han Terra's Music Career

Han Terra has been a solo performer since she was 12 years old. She has played with many orchestras, including the Seoul Metropolitan Korean Music Orchestra. She has also performed solo concerts at famous places like Sejong Center and Carnegie Hall in New York City.

In 2003, she became a founding member of the National Traditional Music Youth Orchestra of Korea. She was also the youngest kayageum player in the Seongnam Municipal Korean Classical Music Orchestra. Today, she is part of the Asian Zither's Association and Asian Musicology.

Korean Royal Music

Han Terra was the first kayageum soloist to record all the royal music pieces for the instrument. This was part of her family's tradition.

Her music collection has five parts and includes famous pieces like Yeo Min Lak (composed by King Sejong), Chuita, and Bo Heo Sa. She learned these royal music pieces from her teachers at Seoul National University and National Gugak middle and high school.

Han Terra's Compositions

Han Terra wrote her first composition at age 8, and it was published in her elementary school journal. She also used to arrange piano pieces by composers like Mozart and Bach for the kayageum when she was very young.

Since 2016, she has been releasing her own original music. Her piece 'Viola Code No. 1' was inspired by French and Korean poets. It was first performed by French violist Erwan Richard to celebrate 130 years of friendship between France and Korea. Her second piece, 'Piano Code No. 1', was inspired by an artwork called 'Wind of the Ancient Times'.

She taught herself how to compose music, though she was influenced by composers like Sukhi Kang and Pierre Boulez. She says composing is a passion for her.

Han Terra's International Performances

Han Terra started her international career with concerts in the United States. In 2008, she performed at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, the Honolulu Academy of Arts, and Brown University.

In 2010, she lived in Tokyo, Japan. There, she worked on adapting Japanese traditional music for the kayageum and collaborated with Japanese artists. She even gained a fan club called "the TeRras" in Tokyo!

In 2011, she visited Yanbian in China. She researched performing arts from North Korea and Yanbian province with Xingsan Jin, a Chinese national heritage artist. They shared ideas about music and playing techniques for different kinds of kayageums. She also studied guzheng in Beijing.

In 2012, TeRra Han went to Paris and started working with French artists. In 2016, she had a special concert in Seoul to celebrate 130 years of diplomatic relations between France and Korea. She performed traditional Korean music alongside French and modern classical music.

While in New York City in 2012, she performed "Sonnet of an Innocent Flower." A music expert named Robert C. Provine gave talks about each piece during her performance. The event showed the traditional Chosun Kisaeng art form, which includes kayageum music, singing, and dancing.

On September 29, 2015, Han Terra performed at Carnegie Hall in New York. This was part of a tour that also included concerts in Tokyo and Seoul. She played the full version of Choi Ok Sam's Kayageum Sanjo, a very important traditional Korean piece. She was one of the youngest Korean traditional musicians to perform a solo concert at Carnegie Hall.

In 2015, her Japanese Koto album 'Sakura' was chosen as a special edition album. It celebrated 50 years of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan.

Other Projects and Interests

TeRra Magazine

In 2017, Han Terra launched an art and culture magazine called TeRra Magazine in New York City. It started online in Tokyo in February 2017. This English magazine covers Asian art and culture from South Asia to Northeast Asia and beyond. Han Terra is the editor-in-chief of the magazine. She has also written for the Journal of Seoul National University and the Business Journal of South Korea. She is a member of the Asian American Journalist Association in the USA.

Scientific Research and MIT

Han Terra is also interested in the science of music. Since 2011, she has visited the acoustics department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the North Bennet Street School. She explores how art and science are connected. In 2012, she gave a presentation at MIT called 'Introduction to the Asian Zither through the 12 stringed Korean kayageum'.

Fashion Design

Han Terra designs her own dresses for her performances. In 2013, she had her first fashion show and exhibition in Tokyo. About 10 models showcased her designs while her kayageum music played. The show was called 'from chima-chogori to court dress of Choseon'.

Media Appearances

Han Terra has appeared in many major media outlets in Korea and other countries. In 1999–2000, she appeared on Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) to celebrate the new millennium. She also appeared on other entertainment and traditional music programs on KBS and Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS). She has been interviewed on music radio shows like Gugak FM.

Han Terra has been featured in major newspapers like the Korea Daily, The Korea Times, Le Monde diplomatique, and Tokyo Shinbun. In 2015, The Korea Times published a book about her called TeRra.

The Korea Times reported that she was the 'Best Korean kayageum musician to have a Carnegie Hall debut as the youngest kayageum musician'.

Film

Television

Recordings

Han Terra's albums include recordings of traditional kayageum solo music, concertos, and various chamber music pieces. She has recorded court music, sanjo music, and contemporary music. She has also recorded non-Korean music styles, including Japanese and Chinese traditional music, using instruments like the Koto or Guzheng. Her Japanese Koto album 'Sakura' was officially recognized as a special edition. It celebrated 50 years of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan.

Han Terra was the first kayageum soloist to record all the royal music pieces for the instrument, following her family's tradition.

Her music collection has five parts. It was released by Korean Broad Casting FM and Poly Music. The collection includes pieces like Yeo Min Lak (composed by King Sejong), Chuita, and Bo Heo Sa.

Albums

• The 1st Album of Seong Nam City Korean Traditional Performing Arts (2005)
• Album of Korean Classical Music Composition Festival (2006)
• DVD for a film score for the educational documentary "Silla Dynasty Stoneware and Koryo Dynasty Celadon" in the USA (2009)
• TeRra (Live) (2015)
• A Maestro Who Saved Girl Ginius (2015)
• TeRra Han plays 'Young San Hue Sang' (2CD) (2015)
• Korean Traditional Court Music of Kayageum 'Bo Heo Sa', 2015 Digital Recording Series of Gugak FM 99.1
• Dreams of King Sejong, Yeo Min Lak 1 (1st Mov.-3rd Mov.), Korean Court Music Series (2015)
• Dreams of King Sejong, Yeo Min Lak 2 (2nd Mov.-7th Yeoeum), Korean Court Music Series (2015)
• Terra Han, Live at the Suginami Public Hall, Tokyo (2015)
• 'Young San Hue Sang1 'Korean court music full version series 3 (2015)
• 'Young San Hue Sang2 (Pyeong Jo Hue Sang)' (2015)
• March of Thousand Years (2016)
• TeRra's Music Diaries (2020)

Singles

• "TeRra Han Plays Chinese Guzheng: Fisherman's Song" (2015)
• Japanese Koto'Sakura'variations: Korea-Japan Foreign Affairs Administrator's Official Album, Celebrating the 50 years Anniversary of Diplomatic Normalization between Korea and Japan (2015)

Awards and Recognition

Han Terra has won many awards and received special recognition for her talents:

• 1989: Winner of National Students Musical Competition Special Grand Prize (Piano)
• 1989: Winner of National Musical Competition, Korean Music Society, Special Grand Prize (Kayageum)
• 1992: Winner of National Student Student Musical Competition of Korea, Gold Prize
• 1994: Winner of Official Commendation of UNESCO, Korea
• 1999: Winner of Dong-a Ilbo, Korean Musical Concours, Silver Prize
• 2001: Winner of Han-bat National Kayageum Competition Grand Prize
• 2004: Winner of Chung-ju National Kayageum Competition Gold Prize
• 2009: Winner of Sejong Center, Sejong Korean Music Concours
• 2010: Grantee of Blanchette Rockefeller Fund, Asian Cultural Council, USA
• 2020: Fellow of Royal Society of Arts in United Kingdom (FRSA)
• 2020: Fellow of Royal Asiatic of Great Britain and Ireland in United Kingdom (FRAS)
• 2020: Fellow of Royal Historical Society in United Kingdom (FRSA)

Other Roles and Memberships

• 2002–2003: Member of the National Traditional Music Youth Orchestra, Korea
• 2005–2009: Member of the Seong-Nam City Korean Traditional Music Orchestra
• 2005–present: Member of the Asian Zither Association
• 2010: Lecturer of Korean Music at Korean Embassy in Tokyo, Japan
• 2011–present: Member of Asian Musicology
• 2010: Honorary Ambassador of Korean Center for International Affairs, Academy of Korean Studies
• 2015: Member of Asian American Journalist Association, USA
• 2016–present: Member of The Recording Academy (Grammy Awards), USA
• 2019–present: Member of New York Press Club
• 2020–present: Member of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
• 2020–present: Member of The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
• 2020–present: Member of National Music Publishers Association (NMPA), USA