'Pioneer of Korean Musicology' Lee Gang-suk, Founding President of Korea National University of Arts, Passes Away

Established a Professional Art Education System with the Belief in Nurturing World-Class Artists
Music Theory Major Launched in Seoul National University Composition Department...Left Extensive Writings

Lee Kang-sook, honorary professor at Korea National University of Arts (K'Arts) and the university's founding president, passed away on the 22nd due to a long illness. She was 84 years old.

She taught students for 15 years at her alma mater, Seoul National University College of Music, before serving as president of K'Arts from 1992. With a belief in nurturing world-class artists, she established a new specialized arts education system. She strengthened practical training by recruiting field experts such as cellist Jung Myung-hwa, pianist Lee Kyung-sook, and pianist Kim Dae-jin, and created a preparatory school to provide a framework for learning arts from childhood. Notable success stories include pianist Son Yeol-eum, who entered at age sixteen and became the youngest winner of the Italy Biotti International Competition. Pianist Kim Sun-wook also won the UK Leeds Competition at age eighteen.

Born in Cheongdo, Gyeongbuk, she graduated from Seoul National University College of Music and initially worked as a pianist before shifting her focus to music education. She earned a master's degree from the University of Houston and a doctorate from the University of Michigan, then returned as a professor at Seoul National University College of Music, where she established a music theory major in the composition department. Taking pioneering work in musicology as her mission, she left behind extensive writings including The World of Open Music, Ethnic Music and Culture, Methods of Music, For Musical Mother Tongue, Korean Musicology, Understanding Music, and For Music Teachers. In 2004, she debuted as a novelist with The Birth of a Pianist, a piece based on an interview with Son Yeol-eum, who had won international competitions.

She served as the 2nd and 3rd president of K'Arts until 2002. She also held positions such as president of the Korean Musicological Society and chairman of the Ahn Ik-tae Memorial Foundation. After serving as a visiting and adjunct professor at K'Arts, she was appointed honorary professor in 2013. In recognition of her contributions to the development of arts education, she was awarded the Geumgwan Cultural Medal in 2002. She is survived by her wife Moon Hee-ja and sons Seok-jae and In-jae. The funeral is being held at Seoul National University Hospital Funeral Hall, with the burial scheduled for the morning of the 24th.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.