'Korean Contemporary Music Master' Kang Seok-hee, Emeritus Professor of Composition at Seoul National University, Passes Away

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] Kang Seok-hee, an esteemed figure in Korean contemporary music and honorary professor of composition at Seoul National University, passed away in the early morning of the 16th due to a prolonged illness. He was 86 years old.

Born in Seoul in 1934, he graduated from the composition department at Seoul National University. In 1966, he released Korea's first electronic music piece, "Feast of Primary Colors," and in 1969, he organized the "Contemporary Music Biennale." In 1970, he went to Germany for further studies, majoring in composition at the Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media and the Berlin University of the Arts. During that time, he studied composition under the world-renowned composer Isang Yun, who was active in Germany.

After completing his studies abroad, he served as a professor in the composition department at Seoul National University from 1982, actively engaging in creative work.

His major works include the Korean traditional orchestra piece "Chwita-hyang" (1987), albums "Buru" (1987) and "Dialog" (1989), the Seoul Olympic torch music "Prometheus Oda" (1988), piano concertos (1996, 1997), operas "Transcendence" (1997) and "Mosaicum Visio" (2002), cello concerto "Berlin" (2003), music dramas "Party for Boris" (2003) and "Four Seasons of Pyeongchang" (2006), and "From Earth to Venus" (2007).

He received numerous awards including the Paris Composers Festival prize in 1976, the Grand Bell Award for music (1979), the Korea Composition Award (1979), the Korea Culture and Arts Award (1990), the Bogwan Cultural Medal (1998), the International New Music Council (INMC) Composition Award (1999), and the Daewon Cultural Foundation Composition Award (2006).

The funeral is being held at the Seoul National University Hospital funeral hall, with the funeral procession scheduled for 5:30 AM on the 18th.

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