Hwang Byungki
Encyclopedia
Hwang Byungki is the foremost South Korea
n player of the gayageum
, a 12-string zither with silk strings. Hwang is also a composer and an authority on Korean sanjo
, a form of traditional Korean instrumental music.
In 1951 he began playing gayageum at The National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts
in Seoul, where he studied under the famous gayageum masters Kim Yeong-yun (김영윤), Kim Yun-deok (김윤덕), and Shim Sang-geon (심상건). In 1959 he graduated from Seoul National University
School of Law.
In 1962 he began composing concert and film music using traditional Korean instruments. He presented the premiere performance of Alan Hovhaness
's Symphony no. 16 in South Korea in 1963. In 1964 he traveled around the world to Europe, the United States, Japan, and Southeast Asian countries, giving gayageum performances in each place.
In 1985 he served as visiting professor of Korean Music at Harvard University
.
Since producing his fifth gayageum album in 2007, Hwang continues to compose innovative Korean music. Ranging in style from the evocation of traditional genres to avant-garde experimentation, a selection of these pieces is available on a series of five albums. He is an emeritus professor of Korean music at Ewha Womans University
. Hwang also teaches a course entitled "The Introduction to Korean Traditional Music" at Yonsei University
in Seoul.
Hwang serves on the government's Cultural Properties Preservation Committee
, and in 2000 was appointed to the National Academy of Arts.
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n player of the gayageum
Gayageum
The gayageum or kayagum is a traditional Korean zither-like string instrument, with 12 strings, although more recently variants have been constructed with 21 or other numbers of strings. It is probably the best known traditional Korean musical instrument...
, a 12-string zither with silk strings. Hwang is also a composer and an authority on Korean sanjo
Sanjo (music)
Sanjo, literally meaning 'scattered melodies' and is a style of traditional Korean music, involving an instrumental solo accompanied by drumming on the janggu, an hourglass-shaped drum...
, a form of traditional Korean instrumental music.
In 1951 he began playing gayageum at The National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts
The National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts
National Gugak Center, located in Seoul, South Korea, is the primary institution of learning for Korean traditional music.With a history dating back to the Eumseongseo music institute of the Silla kingdom in the 7th century, The National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts was founded...
in Seoul, where he studied under the famous gayageum masters Kim Yeong-yun (김영윤), Kim Yun-deok (김윤덕), and Shim Sang-geon (심상건). In 1959 he graduated from Seoul National University
Seoul National University
Seoul National University , colloquially known in Korean as Seoul-dae , is a national research university in Seoul, Korea, ranked 24th in the world in publications in an analysis of data from the Science Citation Index, 7th in Asia and 42nd in the world by the 2011 QS World University Rankings...
School of Law.
In 1962 he began composing concert and film music using traditional Korean instruments. He presented the premiere performance of Alan Hovhaness
Alan Hovhaness
Alan Hovhaness was an Armenian-American composer.His music is accessible to the lay listener and often evokes a mood of mystery or contemplation...
's Symphony no. 16 in South Korea in 1963. In 1964 he traveled around the world to Europe, the United States, Japan, and Southeast Asian countries, giving gayageum performances in each place.
In 1985 he served as visiting professor of Korean Music at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
.
Since producing his fifth gayageum album in 2007, Hwang continues to compose innovative Korean music. Ranging in style from the evocation of traditional genres to avant-garde experimentation, a selection of these pieces is available on a series of five albums. He is an emeritus professor of Korean music at Ewha Womans University
Ewha Womans University
Ewha Womans University is a private women's university in central Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the city's largest institutions of higher learning and currently the world's largest female educational institute. It is one of the best-known universities in South Korea, and often considered to...
. Hwang also teaches a course entitled "The Introduction to Korean Traditional Music" at Yonsei University
Yonsei University
Yonsei University is a Christian private research university, located in Seoul, South Korea. Established in 1885, it is one of the oldest universities in South Korea, the top private comprehensive universities in South Korea, and is widely regarded as one of the top three comprehensive...
in Seoul.
Hwang serves on the government's Cultural Properties Preservation Committee
Cultural Heritage Administration
The Cultural Heritage Administration or CHA, formerly the Cultural Properties Administration, is an agency of the South Korean government charged with preserving key aspects of the Korean cultural heritage. It is headquartered in the city of Daejeon at the Daejeon Government Complex...
, and in 2000 was appointed to the National Academy of Arts.
Discography
- Vol. 1: Chimhyang-moo (침향무; 沈響舞), literally "Dancing Among Incense"
- Vol. 2: The Silk Road (비단길)
- Vol. 3: The Labyrinth (미궁; 迷宮)
- Vol. 4: Spring Snow (춘설; 春雪)
- Vol. 5: Darha Nopigom (달하 노피곰), based on the BaekjeBaekjeBaekje or Paekche was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....
gayoGayoGayo may refer to* Gayo language of Sumatra, ISO 639-2* Gayo people, a tribe in Aceh, Indonesia* Gayo Lues Regency, a regency in Aceh, Indonesia* Gayo, or K-pop, the Korean term for pop music* Gayo , old form of the Korean traditional poetry...
(a type of Korean poetryKorean poetryKorean poetry is poetry performed or written in the Korean language or by Korean people. Traditional Korean poetry is often sung in performance. Until the 20th century, much of Korean poetry was written in Hanja and later Hangul.- History :...
) named, Jeongeupsa (정읍사 井邑詞)