Korean Traditional Music Ensemble Trigger Embarks on a Prestigious UNESCO Creative Cities Tour

The Korean traditional music ensemble Trigger, winner of the Grand Prize at the 2024 “Jump Up” Incubation Project for Emerging Gugak (Korean Traditional Music) Artists, will soon embark on an extraordinary European tour across UNESCO Creative Cities of Music.

From September 8–19, Trigger will grace renowned stages, beginning with performances on September 10 at the National Theater of Croatia in Varaždin, followed by three appearances on September 13 at Belgium’s Flanders Festival in Ghent, and continuing with concerts at Poland’s City Center for Culture in Bydgoszcz on September 17 and the Katowice City of Gardens Chamber also on September 17.

The Jump Up program, initiated by the Daegu Arts Center, aims to discover emerging talents in Korean traditional music, preserve heritage, and support the creation of new artistic content. After a year-long incubation process involving four selected groups, Trigger was awarded the Grand Prize in the final competition in November 2024. With mastery of traditional string instruments such as the gayageum, geomungo, and ajaeng, Trigger expresses the boundless potential of Korean music through innovative artistry.

As part of its international outreach, Trigger joined the global celebration of UNESCO International Jazz Day (April 30, 2025), contributing to a collaborative video project with fellow Creative Cities of Music. Under the theme “Learning for Lasting Peace”, the group arranged Australian composer Mark Simeon Ferguson’s piece “3:23 am” for Korean string instruments (gayageum, geomungo, ajaeng), creating a striking cross-cultural performance that showcased the elegance of Korean traditional sound to worldwide audiences.

This European tour, along with their international collaborations, highlights Trigger as a shining example of how traditional arts can evolve and resonate in the modern world. It also stands as a model case of exchange and cooperation among UNESCO Creative Cities of Music, strengthening global cultural ties while elevating the prestige of Korean traditional music on the international stage. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our music friends in Varaždin, Ghent, Bydgoszcz, and Katowice for their wonderful support, cooperation and friendship with Trigger’s performances.