The 11th Miral concert

     `Hope it is a concert of harmony`, `Miral concert is hope for persons with disabilities` messages cheering Miral concert are filling a tree. On Monday, 28th of April, the 11th Miral concert was held on a concert hall in Seoul Arts Center. The view was quite special.

The audience arrived 2 hours earlier to have dinner together and greeted each other. Since the difficulties they had as persons with disabilities made it difficult for them to see performances they have awaited for Miral concert. Actually, Miral Welfare Foundation thought twice about opening the concert because of the Sewol ferry incident, the national grief. We thought about canceling the concert many times but the concert is what we have tried to social integration of persons with and without disabilities that we couldn`t give up. So we added a cherishing time for the victims of Sewol and conducted the event, hoping that Miral concert be a seed of hope for somebody.

     The concert host was anchor Narim Park and Miral Festival Orchestra, Tenor Jungpil Ru, Soprano Hwalran Seo, and Yegrina orchestra performed. Miral Festival Orchestra directed by Jin Seo was organized by the members of German Crosschamber Orchestra for Miral concert, and Yegrina Orchestra consists of students who have developmental disability from Holt school. Bambell that they played was supported by Miral Welfare Foundation 6 years ago, we have learned we need to think how we support what persons with disabilities can do by themselves beyond volunteering and what we can do for them. Yegrina Orchestra played the bambell with all their whole body. The audience also, gave applauses with their whole body.

     There was also a special performance on the screen, which was the sand animation performance by Hajune Kim. He sent a message of social integration of persons with and without disabilities on the site. The audience didn`t startle even if someone acts unpredictably. Through Miral Concert, the audience could learn to be with person with disabilities.

     Miral concert has 11 years of history with the slogan `When we are together, we will get to each other` under the purpose of social integration of persons with and without disabilities. Dahae Kim(22), who is a first time to experience the concert said, "It was the most impressive performance I`ve seen. Even though they felt awkward on the stage, the members of Yegrina orchestra did their best when their part came. I was deeply moved by that. Social integration! I also support that." The concert was completed because of the people moved and consoled by the concert took part in it.

      The 10th Miral concert`s profits were used to build a living facility for persons with several disabilities `land with hope`, and this year`s profit will be used to build a sheltered workshop. Thank you for being with us.