Harmonizing AAPI Heritage
by Su Min Pyo
Several years ago, my family and I boarded a one-way flight from Korea to our new home in the US. Everything was so different in my new home; I could no longer eat the comforting food my grandma made me, I had lonely lunches at school, and most importantly, I had to adjust to a drastic language change as my knowledge of the Korean alphabet was no longer useful in school. During this uncertain time, music was the one thing that helped me explore my identity. I started playing the clarinet in the fifth grade, and soon I could express my conflicted feelings with just a reed and my magic wand made of wood. It became my gateway to emotional expression that had been suppressed by the language barrier. Music will always be the one thing that allows me to solidify my self-identity, no matter where I am in the world. Several months ago, I was sitting in my rehearsal room with my fellow members of the Boston Youth Ensemble, or BYME, a volunteer ensemble that performs for the elderly at nursing homes. We had just been told we would take on a new gig in May: performing at the Asian Culture Night at Belmont High School. I could sense the uncertainty on my peers’ faces, as showcasing Asian culture through music was drastically different from our usual selection of old pop and jazz. When I received my part for an arrangement of Arirang (아리랑), a traditional Korean Folk Song, my face showed my indifference, as I was unsure whether the Belmont audience would understand and truly appreciate this piece. As we read through the music, I was brought by surprise as the warm and mellow sound of my clarinet playing the main melody of Arirang filled the room. Ever since I was little, I would hear this melody like an anthem every day, when my grandma hummed it under her breath, and when I learned to play it on a traditional Korean instrument called Jjangu. My favorite part of the variation we played is the opening, where there is nothing but the sound of the clarinets playing as if stating the simple but sincere melody of the Korean Folk Song. Each time I play the piece, it’s a reminder of how no matter where I am and how I am impacted by my surroundings, my Korean heritage is something that will always be a part of me. Weeks later, after we’ve built a full understanding of the piece, I think of this piece as a representation of how rather than eliminating my Korean culture and heritage, I should always take both of my cultures into account without letting one outshine the other.
Just a few days ago, we stepped foot on the Belmont High School stage with nervous jitters to perform Arirang, which we had been pouring our hearts and souls into for the past couple of months. At the time, we were unaware of the broad impact our performance would have on the audience. As the bright stage light shined on our faces, we nervously played our first harmony. The quietness of the crowd made the melody ring and fill the entire room, which emphasized the silence of the audience and made me second guess the song choice. Once our performance ended, we made our way to the lobby with sighs of relief to greet our friends and family. Just as I was about to make my way to the exit to go home, an elderly woman walked up to me and held my hand, as she spoke sincerely about the joy our performance had brought her. Later told by my sister, the elderly woman had been humming along with the melody throughout the whole performance, bringing herself back to her past when she had lived in Korea, surrounded by people who understood and appreciated her culture. Hearing about this brought tears to my eyes, as I had just realized that our performance transcended beyond mere notes and rhythm, evoking cherished memories in someone from a different time and space. I was filled with joy at the fact that I was able to connect people across generations and cultures in a way words cannot.
Like the elderly woman who had been touched by our performance, I hope that the music I create will continue to bring others back to a time when their culture was more vibrant and alive, helping them to relive cherished moments and experience a deep connection to their heritage. We Korean Americans may be living more than 6,500 miles away from the homeland of our culture and heritage, but I am confident that the music I produce with my clarinet will be able to reduce that emotional distance to fully connect us to the souls of our ancestors who also hummed the exact melody.
Judges' Comments
This essay brought tears to my eyes! Such a touching essay about how deeply meaningful traditional folk music can be. - A.K.
As a Korean immigrant, the author uses music to connect with the people of his new country. He is pleasantly surprised and gratified by the power of the performance of Korean folk music on his clarinet in evoking the memories of the homeland of an elderly Korean woman, convincing him that music can be an instrument to connect different cultures despite the language barrier. - K.K.L.
Oh my goodness – this essay made me tear up! What a beautiful piece! I am so impressed by the author’s vulnerability and honesty in their reflections, and their discussion of music was so incredibly moving. I feel very grateful to have had the chance to hear how this young artist feels about music, and how music allows them to connect to their communities in so many ways. Keep making art – you have a very special voice! Thank you for the chance to read this beautiful piece!! - S.T.
by Su Min Pyo
Several years ago, my family and I boarded a one-way flight from Korea to our new home in the US. Everything was so different in my new home; I could no longer eat the comforting food my grandma made me, I had lonely lunches at school, and most importantly, I had to adjust to a drastic language change as my knowledge of the Korean alphabet was no longer useful in school. During this uncertain time, music was the one thing that helped me explore my identity. I started playing the clarinet in the fifth grade, and soon I could express my conflicted feelings with just a reed and my magic wand made of wood. It became my gateway to emotional expression that had been suppressed by the language barrier. Music will always be the one thing that allows me to solidify my self-identity, no matter where I am in the world. Several months ago, I was sitting in my rehearsal room with my fellow members of the Boston Youth Ensemble, or BYME, a volunteer ensemble that performs for the elderly at nursing homes. We had just been told we would take on a new gig in May: performing at the Asian Culture Night at Belmont High School. I could sense the uncertainty on my peers’ faces, as showcasing Asian culture through music was drastically different from our usual selection of old pop and jazz. When I received my part for an arrangement of Arirang (아리랑), a traditional Korean Folk Song, my face showed my indifference, as I was unsure whether the Belmont audience would understand and truly appreciate this piece. As we read through the music, I was brought by surprise as the warm and mellow sound of my clarinet playing the main melody of Arirang filled the room. Ever since I was little, I would hear this melody like an anthem every day, when my grandma hummed it under her breath, and when I learned to play it on a traditional Korean instrument called Jjangu. My favorite part of the variation we played is the opening, where there is nothing but the sound of the clarinets playing as if stating the simple but sincere melody of the Korean Folk Song. Each time I play the piece, it’s a reminder of how no matter where I am and how I am impacted by my surroundings, my Korean heritage is something that will always be a part of me. Weeks later, after we’ve built a full understanding of the piece, I think of this piece as a representation of how rather than eliminating my Korean culture and heritage, I should always take both of my cultures into account without letting one outshine the other.
Just a few days ago, we stepped foot on the Belmont High School stage with nervous jitters to perform Arirang, which we had been pouring our hearts and souls into for the past couple of months. At the time, we were unaware of the broad impact our performance would have on the audience. As the bright stage light shined on our faces, we nervously played our first harmony. The quietness of the crowd made the melody ring and fill the entire room, which emphasized the silence of the audience and made me second guess the song choice. Once our performance ended, we made our way to the lobby with sighs of relief to greet our friends and family. Just as I was about to make my way to the exit to go home, an elderly woman walked up to me and held my hand, as she spoke sincerely about the joy our performance had brought her. Later told by my sister, the elderly woman had been humming along with the melody throughout the whole performance, bringing herself back to her past when she had lived in Korea, surrounded by people who understood and appreciated her culture. Hearing about this brought tears to my eyes, as I had just realized that our performance transcended beyond mere notes and rhythm, evoking cherished memories in someone from a different time and space. I was filled with joy at the fact that I was able to connect people across generations and cultures in a way words cannot.
Like the elderly woman who had been touched by our performance, I hope that the music I create will continue to bring others back to a time when their culture was more vibrant and alive, helping them to relive cherished moments and experience a deep connection to their heritage. We Korean Americans may be living more than 6,500 miles away from the homeland of our culture and heritage, but I am confident that the music I produce with my clarinet will be able to reduce that emotional distance to fully connect us to the souls of our ancestors who also hummed the exact melody.
Judges' Comments
This essay brought tears to my eyes! Such a touching essay about how deeply meaningful traditional folk music can be. - A.K.
As a Korean immigrant, the author uses music to connect with the people of his new country. He is pleasantly surprised and gratified by the power of the performance of Korean folk music on his clarinet in evoking the memories of the homeland of an elderly Korean woman, convincing him that music can be an instrument to connect different cultures despite the language barrier. - K.K.L.
Oh my goodness – this essay made me tear up! What a beautiful piece! I am so impressed by the author’s vulnerability and honesty in their reflections, and their discussion of music was so incredibly moving. I feel very grateful to have had the chance to hear how this young artist feels about music, and how music allows them to connect to their communities in so many ways. Keep making art – you have a very special voice! Thank you for the chance to read this beautiful piece!! - S.T.