Cheetah, a project traditional wind ensemble composed of the students of the Department of Korean Traditional Music and the Department of Korean Traditional Dramatic Performing Arts, goes to the 2023 Jeju International Wind Ensemble Festival (JIWEF) from 14 to 15 August. The group will perform at the Jeju Mokkwana, Jeju Culture & Art Center (Grand Theater) on 14 August, and the Jeju Seaside Art Center on 15 August.

Cheetah originally is the term for a Korean traditional wind instrument ensemble that takes on the composition of the military band, “Cheegosu,” from the Joseon dynasty. Like “Cheegosu,” Cheetah has taepyeongso, percussion, piri, daegeum, and haegeum. The ensemble positions itself as a leader of Hallyu by presenting a comprehensive art stage combining traditional wind music with drama.

Besides, the JIWEF is a biennial event inaugurated in 1995. The event has ever since been continued with passion and effort by the local Jeju residents who played the wind instruments. In 2000, the international wind concours, which aimed to discover and foster the next generation of wind musicians, was added to the festival. In 2009, it joined the World Federation of International Competitions, the largest network of international music competitions, under UNESCO.