Public performances
For the last 6-7 years, Salo has been out busking in public. What started as a suggestion from a friend quickly turned into a hobby and then a lifelong love for these public performances.
He prefers these public performances over performing in concert halls; it is here that he is “free in his choices,” both managing and directing every performance to his taste.
He can also talk to his audience on almost every performance. I often observed him chatting with nearby listeners and taking song requests every few minutes. Though his Korean is limited, it doesn’t stop him from connecting with Korean people of diverse backgrounds and ages. It also doesn’t stop him from researching Korean songs on the internet and curating a diverse but meaningful repertoire of all genres of music.
His mother still lives in Ukraine, a country at war with Russia. He knows that the situation there remains unstable but he believes in peace.
He has advice for young musicians wherever they live and whatever the conditions are around them. “No matter what, don’t stop,” he said.
Music creates community.
Music has been the compass of Salo’s life, and his love for it has kept him from ever putting the instrument down. It even led him to Korea, a country that he might have initially never imagined living in, where he says he will likely never leave.
“I found myself here,” he said.
And when asked what music means to him? He answered in two words: “My life.”
For me, meeting Salo, a Ukrainian violinist, was a pivotal moment. It can be easy to feel like an outsider in a new country, something that Salo acknowledged during the interview. Yet, when I saw his performance, I didn’t see any shyness in his musical expression. Rather, he passionately engaged with his music, playing songs that touched the hearts of everyone who was listening.
I, myself, often feel like a foreigner. While I may look Korean, I still feel the cultural disconnect that comes from growing up in a Western country. Yet, Salo’s performance created a space for me to chat with the nearby Korean listeners, even exchanging phone numbers with some people who I became closer to.
For the first time, I truly felt a sense of belonging to this country. Listening to Mr. Salo’s performance reminded me of the purpose of music: not to impress others, but to connect us beyond our divisions.
Questions to consider:
1. Why does Sergiy Salo perform for free when he can get paid for his performances?
2. How can music bring people together?
3. What music do you appreciate and who do you share that appreciation with?