The Isang Yun Orchestra () is a Western-style

chamber orchestra Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small numbe ...

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...

. Named after the

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

Isang Yun Isang Yun, also spelled Yun I-sang (17 September 1917 – 3 November 1995), was a Korean-born composer who made his later career in West Germany. Early life and education Yun was born in Sancheong (Sansei), Chōsen (today part of independe ...

, the orchestra is attached to the Isang Yun Music Institute in

Pyongyang Pyongyang (, , ) is the capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is known as the "Capital of the Revolution". Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. According to the 2008 populatio ...

History

The IYO was established in December 1990 by the conductor

Kim Il-Jin Kim Il-jin (, born 1956) is a North Korean conductor. He was born in Manpo, a city of Jagang Province, but he grew up mainly in Wonsan. He studied cello in Pyongyang University of Music and Dance. After graduating in 1977, Kim joined the Man ...

, who gathered 42 young performers from across the country. In December 1992, the Isang Yun Music Hall(윤이상음악당), a chamber music hall, opened at the Isang Yun Isang Music Institute in the

Pyongyang International House of Culture Pyongyang International House of Culture, also known as the Pyongyang International Cultural Center, is a cultural venue in the Central District of Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea. It was opened on 2 April 1988. It serves as venue for c ...

and the IYO became the orchestra-in-residence of this hall. The IYO's principal conductor is Ryong-Ung Kang and

concertmaster The concertmaster (from the German ''Konzertmeister''), first chair (U.S.) or leader (U.K.) is the principal first violin player in an orchestra (or clarinet in a concert band). After the conductor, the concertmaster is the second-most signifi ...

is Cheol-Ryong Kim. They also play under Kim Byeong-hwa,

Kim Ho-yun Kim or KIM may refer to: Names * Kim (given name) * Kim (surname) ** Kim (Korean surname) *** Kim family (disambiguation), several dynasties **** Kim family (North Korea), the rulers of North Korea since Kim Il-sung in 1948 ** Kim, Vietnamese f ...

Kim Il-jin Kim Il-jin (, born 1956) is a North Korean conductor. He was born in Manpo, a city of Jagang Province, but he grew up mainly in Wonsan. He studied cello in Pyongyang University of Music and Dance. After graduating in 1977, Kim joined the Man ...

Kim Hong-jae Kim Hong-jae (; born October 10, 1954) is a Zainichi Korean conductor. Early life The first experience of music at his early age was an upright piano at his mother's maiden home. In 1967, he entered Amagasaki Korean Middle School and studied ...

and other conductors from abroad.

Repertoire

The IYO performs a wide repertoire with both domestic and foreign works, from

Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard w ...

to Isang Yun.

Members

Some IYO members also play in the

State Symphony Orchestra of DPRK The State Symphony Orchestra of DPRK (SSO) () is a symphonic orchestra in North Korea and the first classical music ensemble to be established there. History The SSO was established on 8 August 1946 with the name Central Symphony Orchestra. In J ...

and the Merited Female Instrumental Ensemble of the

Mansudae Art Troupe The Mansudae Art Troupe () is a North Korean troupe of musicians that create light-classical operas and music, as well as dance pieces. History The Mansudae Art Troupe is the successor to the Central Art Troupe that was formed on 27 Septembe ...

. Unlike the SSO, male and female performers are not separated in the IYO.

Performances and recordings

In 1999 and 2004, the IYO toured

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

and

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

as a temporary chamber ensemble named 'Isang Yun Ensemble Pyongyang'. Their 1999 tour to Berlin consisted of five chamber works of Isang Yun, and was recorded by the German recording company

WERGO WERGO is a German record label focusing on contemporary classical music. It was founded in 1962 by German art historian and music publisher (1903–1975) and the musicologist Helmut Kirchmeyer. Their first release, filed under "WER 60001", was S ...

. The recording was released and imported to South Korea a few years later. In 2005, the South Korean recording company Synnara Music released four CDs which contain North Korean orchestral works performed by SSO, IYO and other music troupes of North Korea.

References

{{Authority control Musical groups established in 1990 North Korean orchestras

History

Repertoire

Members

Performances and recordings

See also

References