University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

A sound of Korea: Hunminjeongeum by Byunghee Oh

Kwon, Seungah

This item is only available for download by members of the University of Illinois community. Students, faculty, and staff at the U of I may log in with your NetID and password to view the item. If you are trying to access an Illinois-restricted dissertation or thesis, you can request a copy through your library's Inter-Library Loan office or purchase a copy directly from ProQuest.

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/132675

Description

Title
A sound of Korea: Hunminjeongeum by Byunghee Oh
Author(s)
Kwon, Seungah
Issue Date
2025-12-03
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
Eagen-Jones, Megan
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Solya, Andrea
Committee Member(s)
  • Taylor, Stephen
  • Tharp, Reynold
Department of Study
Music
Discipline
Music
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
A.Mus.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
  • Music
  • Choral
  • Korea
  • Korean
  • Korean Choral Music
  • Hangeul
  • Hunminjeongeum
  • Byunghee Oh
  • Korean letters
  • Composer
  • IPA
  • Performance practice
Abstract
Choral musicians worldwide are eager to explore new music characterized by diverse languages, backgrounds, and messages. The growing number of languages found in choral repertoires performed internationally is reflective of a global trend in choral music conducting. There is a significant surge of interest in music by women and, amid this growing global enthusiasm for female choral composers, women are currently at the forefront of the choral scene in South Korea. Even the most acclaimed Korean composers’ work, both male and female, often remains unrecognized internationally due to language barriers and the challenges of grasping traditional Korean melodies and rhythms. This dissertation addresses these challenges through an in-depth study of Hunminjeongeum (훈민정음, 2021), a 70-minute choral composition by a prominent Korean composer, Byunghee Oh. Inspired by the historical origins of the Korean writing system, Hangeul (한글), the work blends traditional Korean musical idioms with modern choral textures. Many ideas and materials explored will be familiar to Korean readers; however, the primary effort of this work is to synthesize and translate elements to facilitate an increased understanding by a larger choral conducting audience—and in a manner that will be engaging and accessible to conductors and ensembles worldwide. By providing detailed linguistic analysis, including International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) transcriptions, this research aims to support non-Korean-speaking conductors and performers in approaching the work with linguistic and stylistic accuracy. Ultimately, this paper contributes to the broader effort of making contemporary Korean choral music more accessible to international audiences and encourages a more inclusive and diverse choral repertoire worldwide.
Graduation Semester
2025-12
Type of Resource
Thesis
Handle URL
https://hdl.handle.net/2142/132675
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2025 Seungah Kwon

Owning Collections

Graduate Dissertations and Theses at Illinois PRIMARY
Graduate Theses and Dissertations at Illinois