Pansori'c Rhapsody

Koh's plaintive, dark tribute to the Korean musical genre "pansori" reveals the passion and intensity of these two-person dramas portrayed by voice and drum. The composer avoids direct use f traditional melodies while emphasizing the greater dramatic feature of this theatre. The dynamic of highly animated dance and music leaves strong image of this deeply personal side of Korean culture. Changu Su Koh was born in 1970 in Osaka, Japan, where he earned a degree in composition from Osaka College in Music. He subsequently studied at the Nusikakademie der Stadt in Basel before returning to Osaka, where he currently teaches at his graduate institution. His compositions have been selected as compulsory test pieces for the All Japan Band Competition. He is an active contributor in the composition circle "Kyo-En: Wind Orchestra works for the 21st Century."