Korean Heritage as a Foundation for Composition

This dissertation provides the conceptual and aesthetic background of the compositions composed throughout the course of my doctoral studies. I will introduce Korean philosophies and aesthetics and then expand upon these elements to
demonstrate how they have influenced my approach to music composition. Furthermore, I will demonstrate how I intertwine the use of colour and Korean philosophies. Chapter 1 delineates the elements of Korean philosophies and aesthetics that have influenced my musical language. The chapter focuses on how the Korean handcraft art Jogakbo and the Korean philosophies of Yin-Yang, Ohang and Meak are related to each other. Additionally, I examine the origin and structure of Jogakbo, with a particular focus upon the key variables of shape and colour. The examination of Jogakbo causes me to establish how form and structure are linked in Jogakbo, and then how I apply this form and structure to my composition.
Furthermore, I will describe how the aesthetics of Yin-yang, Ohang and Jogakbo form the core of my musical language by examining the function and unplanned approach to the different coloured scraps of material in Jogakbo. Drawing upon this
examination, I describe how I have taken the colours from these scraps to form the colours in my music. In relation to this, I investigate the musical techniques of spectral composers, with an emphasis on musical colour, looking at specific
composers’ techniques and establishing how they have influenced my own compositional techniques. Finally, I will discuss the role of the philosophy of Maek generating linearity on the horizontal structure of music. Chapter 2 discusses
individual portfolio pieces composed throughout the doctoral course chronologically. I will demonstrate how selected Korean philosophies, aesthetics, and the techniques of Jogakbo have gradually evolved to play a larger role in the composition of my pieces. In particular, the colours used in Jogakbo and the philosophy of Ohang play a more direct role in creating the structure and form of the pieces composed in late course. In the conclusion, the research throughout my doctoral course has been summarised, and limitations and other challenges reached while applying the research to my compositional process are examined. Finally, the conclusion ends with a discussion of potential directions to further this research.