Canadian University Introduces Samulnori Music Class

One of Korea’s traditional music styles, “Samulnori,” has been adopted as a regular subject at a Canadian university.

York University, located in northern Toronto, opened a Samulnori class in its liberal arts college for this fall semester. This is the first time ever for Canadian university to offer a class on this subject. This university, which opened this class in the name of its “Korean Drum Ensemble,” has also decided to foot the bill for musical instruments including Janggus (a drum shaped like an hourglass), drums, kkwaenggwaris and gongs, and a clothing cost, both of which are necessary for the class.

Lectures will be offered by Hong Cheol-hwa who is a second generation ethnic Korean and who is a Korean classical musician serving as the head of the “Jaengi,” a samulnori group in Toronto.