South Korean Percussion Professor's Book Recognized by ASCAP
In a significant recognition of scholarly excellence, ethnomusicologist Katherine In-Young Lee has been awarded the prestigious Béla Bartók Award from the ASCAP Foundation. The award, established in 1967, honours outstanding research that advances knowledge of folk or traditional musics worldwide.
Lee's book, "Dynamic Korea and Rhythmic Form," was chosen as the recipient of this year's award. The book offers an in-depth exploration of Korean rhythmic patterns and their cultural dynamism, contributing to a better understanding of Korean traditional music within the broader field of ethnomusicology.
"Dynamic Korea and Rhythmic Form" stands out for its detailed analysis of rhythmic forms, illuminating their role not only musically but also in social and cultural contexts. This enriches the discourse on how rhythmic structures shape and reflect identity and tradition in Korea.
The book's focus on Korean music rhythms exemplifies the qualities that the Béla Bartók Award typically acknowledges: rigorous musical analysis combined with cultural sensitivity and originality.
Lee's research on the role of music at scenes of protest during South Korea's democratization movement is a part of her broader research interests in sound studies and historiography. This work, which was previously published, is related to her previous work exploring the globalization of samul nori, a percussion genre from South Korea.
In her book, Lee contends that rhythm-based forms serve as a critical site for cross-cultural musical encounters. This research, which was also recognized with a Martin Hatch Award from the Society for Asian Music and a Charles Seeger Prize from the Society for Ethnomusicology, underscores the importance of Lee's work as a key reference in ethnomusicological scholarship on Korea.
The ASCAP Foundation, the organization that granted the Béla Bartók Award, was established to support the work of young composers, songwriters, and music educators. The awards were named after Deems Taylor, a composer, critic, commentator, and former president of ASCAP.
Lee, an associate professor of ethnomusicology, continues to make significant contributions to the field. Her work is a testament to the power of music as a tool for understanding cultural dynamics and historical events.
- Katherine In-Young Lee's research, encompassing both education-and-self-development in the form of her book "Dynamic Korea and Rhythmic Form" and her continued work in ethnomusicology, significantly contributes to a better understanding of Korean traditional music and cultural dynamics.
- While Lee's focus primarily lies in the realm of entertainment, such as Korean music rhythms, she also extends her learning to the broader aspects of society and culture, illuminating how rhythmic structures shape and reflect identity and tradition in Korea.
