New Korean Voices: Three Female Composers and Their Works

Abstract

This study is among the first to explore South Korean female composers’ recent achievements in the choral music community, along with the legacy of the male-dominated environment that has impeded the acknowledgement of female musicians. Choral music was introduced to South Korea in the late 19th century by Christian missionaries. Despite this short history, Western style choral music gained a strong foothold in South Korean culture life, and, today, many South Korean choirs have been internationally recognized for their excellence. The rise of women’s rights has paralleled this musical development especially in the area of choral composition. By 2012, female composition students comprised 70% of those studying music composition in South Korea universities. Through this changing cultural landscape, female composers have established a foothold in South Korean musical landscape. My research explores the history of women’s status in early 20th-century Korea and the influence of Western music education on women. ​​Finally, I introduce three prominent female composers, Hyo-Won Woo, Hea-Young Cho, and Hyo-Young Ahn, and examine representative works by each. These composers are the first generation of women to have worked as resident composers for leading Korean choirs. The representative works I introduce include “Menari” and “Oh, Korea” by Hyo-Won Woo, “Ong-hea-ya” and “Ga-shi-ri” by Hea-Young Cho, and “Ee-ring-gong Jeo-ring-gong ha-yeo” and “Nil-li-ri-ya” by Hyo-Young Ahn.