"Starving Artists"

Some relatives recently sent me an e-mail with a YouTube link of North Korean children playing instruments. One video showed guitars as big as the 5 year-olds playing them. I've seen similar videos in the past, still, the talent of these kids always astounds me.

I suppose Korean culture combined with Communist instilled discipline (either out of fear or nationalism) brings out talent.

Take a look at these:

Their expressions and choreographed head-bobbles are a little creepy

Those little fingers sure fly...

This little boy is amazingly good. I couldn't play the clarinet that well when I was his age. But I was sure happy not to have to practice 8 hours a day like he probably does.

How about these pint-sized percussionists/singers?

Political issues aside, one thing I have found simply fascinating is the North Korea Mass Games, where according to wikipedia:

(The) Mass games or mass gymnastics are a form of performing arts or gymnastics in which large numbers of performers take part in a highly regimented performance that emphasizes group dynamics rather than individual prowess. The effect of displaying huge images is achieved by a having large number of individuals each being dressed in a particular color or holding a colored hard paper above their heads. Because of the vast scale of the performance, with often tens of thousands of performers, mass games are performed in stadiums, often accompanied by a background of card-turners occupying the seats on the opposite side from the viewers. The rapid change of images was achieved by changing a card with another in swift and synchronized movement. The synchronization is achieved after several hours-long rehearsals and employs much choreography.

I would love to see this first hand someday...