The Eastern Michigan University community listened in rapt silence as Dr. MeeAe Nam, a voice professor at EMU, talked about how Korea was under Japanese rule for 35 years (1910-1945). During that time, no freedom of speech in music or art that represented Korean pride was allowed. When the Japanese found out the song, “The Balsam,” was a metaphor for loss of Korean identity under Japanese rule, the composer came out of prison bloody.
At 7:30 p.m. Nov. 18, in Pease Auditorium, people gathered to hear EMU students and faculty from the Department of Music and Dance publicly perform Korean folksongs once forbidden in Korea.
Many of the songs performed were written in the Western style but were infused with traditional folk music. The three themes in the performance were spring, Korean women and suffering. Songs ranged from a popular Korean drinking song, to desolation, to a song to motivate construction workers. There was an unplanned performance by Nam, who came to America 17 years ago, who sang of being far from home.
According to Nam, Koreans love spring because it symbolizes hope, joy and freedom from starvation. The image of a traditional Korean woman is patient, shy, modest and longing. Many of the songs were about suffering, bitterness and the longing for independence.
“Korea has been politically fought over for many centuries,” Nam said. “So we’ve learned how to survive and take care of others. You hear it through Korean music.”
Ryan Fileccia, 23, is majoring in vocal music education at EMU. He came to the concert to hear good singing from major concert performers like Kee Yung Yang, and to expose himself to an unfamiliar culture.
“It’s good to know history,” Fileccia said. “Americans don’t usually pay attention unless it’s happening here or in Europe, and we don’t pay attention to what’s happening in Europe anyway.”
Elizabeth Heffron, 18, who enjoyed the concert, is majoring in music therapy at EMU. She came to the concert because she is one of Nam’s students and the attendance will help with her major. Music therapy is about connecting to people using music, and learning about another genre will help her connect with others.
“I was surprised to learn about Korea’s past,” Heffron said, “Learning about other country’s music helps us relate. I can’t understand the words, but learning about their past helped me understand the feeling behind the music.”
According to Nam, Korean is one of the more challenging languages for Americans to learn because of the consonants and vowels unfamiliar to Americans. In her opinion, it sounds like a combination of Italian, German, French, and Chinese. She hopes to have more Korean folk music published with phonetic descriptions so others can perform it.
Heffron thought much of the Korean music performed sounded Italian. Fileccia agreed, and he was surprised Korean music and western music did not sound very different.
“There was energy to the Korean songs I did not know I’d expect,” Fileccia said. “Western music gets more abstract, and Eastern music has more bounce to it. You can see it in the performers, like Matt [Konopacki].”
When Konopacki sang “A Sailor’s Song,” which had a more distinctive Eastern sound compared to the others performed, he physically expressed the song’s tempo. His body would sway side to side with each change in tempo, and the balls of his feet would lift and lower with each change in pitch.
One song, “Dear. Mt.Geumgang,” expresses the bitterness Koreans feel about a divided country. The English translation says, “We wish the vast and grand scene down the peak would not be seen, until the spite and grudge in our hearts, should be revenged.” It expresses the sense of despair felt by many South Koreans, who have no clue if they will ever see the family who is in North Korea.
