Byungki Hwang

Hwang Byung-ki is one of Korea's foremost composers. A master of the twelve string kayagum (zither), Byung-ki has used the ancient instrument to express his modern compositions. Fanfare praised Byung-ki's compositions for being "lyrical, picturesque and meditative". A graduate of the Seoul National University law school, Byung-ki studied traditional Korean music at the National Center for Korean Traditional Peforming Arts. A two time winner of the National Traditional Muic Contest, Byung-ki received a Korean Screen Soundtrack award in 1973 and the Choong-ang Cultural award in 1992. In addition to performing throughout Korea and North America, Byung-ki teaches at the Ewha Woman's University. A book of his musical scores, focusing on his interpretations of the improvised solo instrumental style of sanjo, was published by Ewha Woman's University Press. ~ Craig Harris