Byung-Eun Yoo

Born in 1952 during the Korean war, Byung-Eun Yoo, perhaps one of the few composers nowadays in Korea who still hold on to the nationalism in music, has been producing works based on the Korean traditional music since 1980s. Having studied natural science briefly at the Seoul National University before deciding to become a composer, he began his composition study in 1974. After finishing his undergraduate study at the Seoul National University (BM), he continued study with Professor Leslie Bassett at the University of Michigan (MM in 1982). Utilizing many elements from Korean traditional music he has been producing works most of which sound uniquely Korean.

He is currently professor of composition at the Korean National University of Arts School of Music. Some of his works are Hahn for Orchestra, Shinawi No.5 for Orchestra, Children’s little Sanjo for Piano and Orchestra, Piano Sanjo No.2, Shinawi No.7 for Flute, Cello and Harp, Etudes for Children (Vol I, II, and III) and others.

Five Moods for Flute

In this piece, written in 1981 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the composer tried to depict or give rise to certain states of human mind in a very brief and compact structure using various contemporary flute techniques.  Although the sound and style of the piece is basically on the western avant-gardism since 1950s or 60s, there can be seen two characteristic traits that were seminal for the composer’s later development. One is the emotive nature of the whole piece and the other is the use of Korean traditional mode in the third piece, of Meditation.

Shinawi No.6 for String Quartet

The Shinawi is a genre of Korean traditional folk music which usually denotes music played by a small ensemble.  Mostly it is played by 2 winds, 3 or 4 strings and a percussion.  It is said that the Shinawi was originated from the Korean traditional shaman music.

Shinawi No. 6 was written in 1990 for string quartet. When the composer was thinking about a new piece in the name of Shinawi he tried to find out and experiment a new form other than the one that had been used in the previous Shinawis.  So he borrowed and utilized the form and rhythms from the Samulnori which is another genre in Korean traditional folk music.

Although the Samulnori is percussion ensemble music played by 4 percussionists and has a little different form, it shares some elements with Shinawi such as rhythms, modes and the spirit of the common people of Korean traditional society.

Sanjo for Cello and Piano

The Sanjo is an improvisatory composition for various solo instruments accompanied by the Changgo(hourglass drum) in Korean traditional folk music. It usually consists of 4 or 5 movements. Each movement is composed upon the basic rhythm which is distinct from movement to movement in terms of its tempo and basic pattern. Unlike western music these movements are played without pauses and the tempi of the movements get progressively faster from the beginning to the end of the piece.

This work which is fully modeled after the Korean traditional Sanjo consists of 4 movements (very slow - slow - moderate - fast) and utilizes the typical rhythms of the traditional Sanjo as well as tunes based upon traditional Korean modes. It was written in 1993.