Eastern Asian Choral Literature
Dr. Pingyi Song
This masterclass focuses on the introduction of choral literature by female composers in Eastern Asian musical cultures, including Japan, Korea, and China. This research study addresses the gender issue and bias toward female composers in Eastern Asian musical cultures by reviewing the current choral literature textbooks and scholarly publications on Eastern Asian choral literature.
This research also argues that the underrepresentation of female composers and compositions in the Eastern Asian Choral Canon shares similarities in comparison to the gender issue in the Western European Classical Music Canon according to Marcia Citron’s research study “Gender, Professionalism, and the Musical Canon.” Composers and topics studied in this research include the choral tradition, choral literature, and choral organizations in Japan, Korea, and China.
Ten significant female composers presented in this research study are Nozomi Matsumoto 松本望, Makiko Kinoshita 木下牧子, Yuka Yamashita 山下祐加, Unsuk Chin 진은숙, Hyo-Won Woo 우효원, Sungji Hong 홍성지, Xixian Qü 瞿希贤, Ching-Ju Shih 石青如, Jenny H. Chou 周鑫泉, and Guanyü Cao 曹冠玉. Dedicated to recognizing the underrepresented Eastern Asian female composers and their choral masterpieces, this research aims to provide practical and valuable guidance for music educators and choral directors to study, program, and perform choral repertoire from the musical culture of Eastern Asia.
Meet Your Professor
Dr. Pingyi Song is the Director of Choral Activities, and Assistant Professor of Music at Coker University, South Carolina. Song is an active conductor, clinician, and music educator for collegiate and community choirs in the United States and China. Song’s world premiere performance with UNC Greensboro Chamber Singers was selected as a National Finalist for the American Prize 2022 Ernst Bacon Memorial Award for the Performance of American Music.
Her most recent research study “Gender Issues and A Brief Introduction of Choral Literature by Eastern Asian Female Composers” was invited to present at the 2023 National ACDA Conference, NCCO10 National Conference, and the 2023 ACMI (Asian Classical Music Initiative) International Conference. As a Chinese original musician, she is dedicated to promoting cultural exchange between Western Music and Eastern Asian Music.
Pingyi Song holds a Choral Summer School Certificate from Oxford University, U.K., and a D.M.A. degree in Choral Conducting and a Post-Bachelorette Certificate in Music Education from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, and Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees from West Virginia University, Mansfield University of Pennsylvania, and Guangzhou University, China.