Musical Profile of Korea

If Korea is known to the musical world, it is not primarily for Korean music. Outside Korea, far fewer people recognize the name of the p’ansori singer An Suksŏn (figure 1) or the kayagŭm zither virtuoso Hwang Byungki (Hwang Pyŏnggi) than recognize the name of the Chung (Chŏng) family, which has distinguished itself so prominently in the performance of Western classical music—a family that includes the violinist Kyung-Wha (Kyŏnghwa), the cellist Myung-Wha (Myŏnghwa), and the pianist-conductor...