Under the blazing summer heat, we headed back to Seoul for the 11th SIHF Harmonica Festival, camera crew and harmonica friends all assembled! ｜[DMing Studio] https://youtu.be/K4C_zll5vos
We had just wrapped up the Huaxia and Cross-Strait Harmonica Festivals, returned to Taiwan for a short rest, and then flew out again, back to the familiar sight of Incheon Airport. To get into the city, you can take either the subway or the bus, but since the Korean subway system is complicated and full of endless staircases, it’s not ideal for heavy luggage. So we opted for the airport bus straight to Yeongdeungpo, one of Seoul’s bustling commercial districts.
Our accommodation this year was the same as previous years, the Courtyard Marriott. The facilities are great, breakfast is delicious, and in the evening there’s complimentary drinks so everyone can relax and chat without needing to head outside. After settling in, we walked to the nearby underground mall for our first meal in Korea. Of course, it had to be something spicy!
At night, we headed to Yeongdeungpo Art Hall for the welcome dinner. Every year, before the festival officially begins, performers and harmonica sponsors gather for this event. Many are familiar faces we meet annually, watching each other grow and evolve, and of course, there are always a few new friends too.
After the event, we took a slow walk back to the hotel. Along the way, Tombo’s Mano-san handed me an unreleased 12-hole chromatic harmonica. It’s a further refinement of last year’s Uni model he gave me to review, issues I mentioned were improved, and the mouthpiece design was changed from straight to staggered. Not only does it play more easily, but the reeds give it a wonderfully distinctive tone.
The festival officially kicked off the next morning. The venue was filled with booths, this year’s exhibitors included HOHNER, EASTTOP, JDR, and TOMBO. The harmonica festival is basically a huge “test-every-instrument” event. You can try rare models for free and see what each brand has released that year, one of my favorite parts of the festival.
This year, competitions, workshops, and concerts were all held in the same building, which made things so much easier for participants, no more rushing back and forth between venues. Each hall hosted a different category: chromatic, tremolo, trios, small ensembles, and more.
Aside from competitions, there were also various workshops. Our friend Leon Li shared his insights and experiences from the past few years of harmonica making, and the session even included several test models for everyone to try. Honestly, it was perfect.
One evening, we decided to explore the streets behind our hotel on foot. The area included a red-light zone and an old industrial district, cultures we had never really seen before. Photography was strictly prohibited, so we just quietly observed.
Across the street was a small arts village filled with murals and independent shops. Sneaking in a moment of peace during the hectic festival schedule was truly refreshing.
The Gala Concert is, in my opinion, the part of the festival you absolutely cannot miss. The organiser always invites top-tier performers, so everyone who steps onto that stage is an active and accomplished harmonica artist. Listening to so many different styles and interpretations, it’s pure luxury for the ears.
This year marks our tenth year attending SIHF. Even though we now stand on the stage as performers ourselves, I still feel like I’m constantly learning and absorbing inspiration every time we come. Always moving forward, never stopping.
