Sunhee Koo
Ethnomusicology
Sunhee Koo received her Ph.D. in Music from the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa in 2007. Since then, she has served as a Lecturer of Music in her alma mater. Her doctoral research focused on the relationship between music and the construction of identity among Korean ethnic minority in the People's Republic of China. She has conducted fieldwork in various places such as China, Korea, Honolulu, and New York City. Her research interests lie in a number of different Asian music performances including Korean court, folk, and popular music, Chinese silk and bamboo music, and Beijing opera, in their native and transnational contexts. Her theoretical emphases include ethnic identity, government policy, and the issues of political refugee and human rights. Besides her academic orientation in ethnomusicology and cultural studies, she completed her M.A and B.A degree at New York University studying Western Classical music. She is also trained as a concert violinist and has been an active performer of Korean and Chinese string instruments (haegum, erhu, and jinghu) as well as of Korean folk percussion instruments. Currently she is serving as the Editor of the Newsletter of the Association for Korean Music Research.
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Education
| 2007 | PhD in Music (Ethnomusicology), University of Hawai‘i at Manoa (UHM) |
| 1999 | MA in Music (Musicology and Ethnomusicology), New York University (NYU) |
| 1995 | BA in Music (with Honors), NYU |
| 1987-1990 | Seoul Music and Art School (majored in Violin performance) |
| 1984-1987 | Yewon Music School (majored in Violin performance) |
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Professional Experiences
| Teaching | |
| 2004-Present | Lecturer, Music Department, UHM |
| 2009 | Lecturer, Hawaii Tokai International College |
| Lecturer, Kapi‘olani Community College (KCC) | |
| Instructor, Orchestra, Performing Arts Academy at Kamehameha School | |
| 2002–04 | Teaching Assistant, Music Department, UHM |
| Research | |
| 2003–04 | Archivist, Ethnomusicology Archive, UHM |
| 1999 | Research Assistant, Sydney 2000 Olympic Band World Projects, sponsored by the Sydney Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC); duties included researching national folk tunes for the countries participating in the opening ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics |
| Administration | |
| 2007– | Editor, Association for Korean Music Research Newsletter |
| 2000–01 | Conference Coordinator of “Current Research In Korean Music: Assessment and Prospects,” sponsored by the University of Hawai‘i Center for Korean Studies (CKS), February 15–18, 2001; duties included contacting the international conference participants, compiling and translating abstracts, and assisting in organizing and managing the conference |
| Journal Referee | |
| 2009 | Asian Musicology, published by the Council for Asian Musicology in South Korea |
| 2008 | Korean Studies, published by the University of Hawai‘i Press |
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Publications
| Articles | |
| 2008 | “Selective Identity: Korean Minority Composers and the Performance of Ethnicity in the People’s Republic of China.” Asian Musicology 12 |
| Book Reviews | |
| 2008 | Korean Kayagum Sanjo: A Traditional Instrumental Genre, by Keith Howard, Chaesuk Lee, and Nicholas Casswell (Aldershot: Ashgate, 2008). Korean Studies 32 |
| 2008 | P’ungmul: South Korean Drumming and Dance, by Nathan Hesselink (Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 2006). Journal of Asian Studies 67 |
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Papers and Lectures Presented
| Conference papers | |
| 2008 | “Creating Ethnic Sound: Music of the Korean Minority Composers in China.” Presented at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the Society for Ethnomusicology, Middletown, Connecticut, Oct. 25–28 |
| 2006 | “Between Korea and China: Music of the Korean Ethnic Minority in China.” Presented at the 51st Annual Meeting of the Society for Ethnomusicology, Honolulu, Hawai‘i, Nov. 16–19 |
| 2002 | “The Semantics of Mask Dance-Drama and the Government Policy of Andong City.” Presented at the Center for Korean Studies (CKS) conference, “Andong and Its Culture,” UHM, Nov. 10–14 |
| 2002 | “Multi-Faced Masks: The Presentation and Representation of Hahoe Mask Dance-Drama in the Context of Tourism.” Presented at the 47th Annual Meeting of the Society for Ethnomusicology, Estes Park, Colorado, Oct. 23–26 |
| 2001 | “Musical Identity of Koreans in Hawai‘i.” Presented at the 36th World Conference of the International Council for Traditional Music, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, July 4–11 |
| 2001 | “Past and Present State of Korean Music in Hawai‘i.” Presented at the CKS Conference, “Korean Immigration Experience in Hawai‘i,” UHM, May 26–28 |
| Invited Lectures | |
| 2009 | “Searching for Chinese Korean Sound: Musical Construction of Korean Ethnic Minority in Yanbian, China.” World Music Forum at Emory University, Georgia, Mar. 24 |
| 2009 | “Jiangnan Sizhu: the Silk and Bamboo Ensemble in Shanghai” and “Creating Ethnic Sound: Music of the Korean Minority Composers in China.” St. Olaf College, Minnesota, Feb. 10 |
| 2008 | “Teaching World Music for University Students.” Bowling Green State University, Ohio, May 28 |
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Courses taught
| MUS 478E | Korean Music |
| MUS 407 | Music Cultures of the World |
| MUS 311D | Chinese Ensemble |
| MUS 107 | Music in World Cultures |
| MUS 106 | Introduction to Music Literature |
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Grants, Fellowships, and Scholarships
| 2004 | Chun Ku and Soo Yong Huang Foundation Graduate Scholarship, Student Equity, Excellence, and Diversity (SEED), UHM |
| Andrew Nyborg Fellowship in Music, Music Department, UHM | |
| 2001-04 | Center for Korean Studies Graduate Scholarship, UHM |
| 2000-03 | Graduate Fellowship in Ethnomusicology, Music Department, UHM |
| 2003 | Arts and Sciences Advisory Council Award, College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), UHM |
| Dai Ho Chun Scholarship for International Students, SEED, UHM | |
| Heide Student Assistance Fund, Music Department, UHM | |
| 2002 | Arts and Sciences Advisory Council Award, CAS, UHM |
| Chinese Music Scholarship, Music Department, UHM | |
| Graduate Student Organization Travel Grant, Graduate Student Office, UHM | |
| 2001 | Nesta Obermer Chamber Music Scholarship, Music Department, UHM |
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Awards
| 2007 | The 2006 Best Student Paper Prize, Association for Korean Music Research (AKMR) |
| 2004 | The 2004 Chancellor’s Doctoral Student Research Achievement Award, University Research Council, UHM |
| 2002 | Outstanding Student in Ethnomusicology, Music Department, UHM |
| 1995 | Founder’s Day Award, College of Arts and Sciences, NYU |
| Hanna van Vollenhollen Memorial Prize, Department of Music, NYU | |
| 1991 | Manuel Kompansky Memorial Award, Department of Music, California State University at Northridge |