Elena Moon Park – Nothing Is Ordinary (Adhyâropa Records, 2026)
Elena Moon Park’s third all-ages album, Nothing Is Ordinary, brings together reimagined folk and children’s songs from East and Southeast Asia alongside original compositions inspired by longtime collaborator Kristiana Parn.
The album encourages attentive listening and everyday observation. Park said the project emerged from an interest in recognizing meaning in ordinary experiences, from birdsong to small interactions between people.
Musically, Nothing Is Ordinary offers communal call-and-response ingredients, tranquil ambient passages, and traditional instrumentation. The album features Indonesian gamelan, Japanese koto, Okinawan sanshin, and Korean piri and saenghwang alongside Park’s multi-instrumental performances.
Several collaborators appear throughout the record, including Indonesian vocalist Peni Candra Rini, who recorded with a full gamelan ensemble in Java; pianist Vicky Chow; taiko and fue player Kaoru Watanabe; and Korean musicians Kyungso Park and Gamin. Park also worked with a wider circle of culture bearers and experimental musicians throughout the project.
Songs on the album include “Gunbam Taryeong,” a Korean folk song focused on roasted chestnuts; “Such A Daydream”; “Feel the Air”; “Donguri Korokoro”; and “The Big Watermelon.” Original compositions such as “Somersault on Egg Hill” focus on resilience and uncertainty through storytelling.
Park, a violinist, educator, and producer based in Brooklyn, has performed at major venues including Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. She also serves as co-artistic director of Found Sound Nation and works with OneBeat, a program developed in partnership with the U.S. Department of State. Her previous releases, Rabbit Days and Dumplings and Unhurried Journey, established her presence within contemporary all-ages and world music circles.
Author: Madison Quinn
