The Korea Music Copyright Association (KMCA), led by Chairman Lee Si-ha, held a career education session for the Chungju Youth Ureuk Gugak Orchestra as part of its ongoing effort to nurture the next generation of traditional Korean music talent.
The KMCA conducted a career guidance and creative mentoring session for members of the Chungju Youth Ureuk Gugak Orchestra at the Chungju Culture Center on June 8. The event was attended by KMCA Vice Chairwoman Lee Min-suk, board member Jeong Seong-ja — who served as the session's lecturer — roughly 20 orchestra members, their parents and orchestra officials.
The session was a follow-up to a 30 million won (about $19,600) donation the KMCA made to the Chungju Youth Ureuk Gugak Orchestra in March to support gugak education. At the time, the association pledged to go beyond a one-time contribution by providing a range of programs linking education, hands-on experience and career development — including masterclasses, copyright education, music industry field trips and career consulting.
The mentoring session was led by Jeong Seong-ja, a gugak education specialist who graduated from the Department of Korean Traditional Music at Seoul National University's College of Music. She has served as head professor of the Korean traditional music program at Myongji University's Graduate School of Arts and as chairwoman of the Korea Children's Gugak Education Association. Drawing on years of experience in the field, Jeong addressed students' career concerns and offered guidance on their studies, while also performing on traditional instruments to convey the importance of stage experience and the role young gugak musicians can play — an approach that resonated strongly with the audience.
Kim Jeong-yun, a student in the orchestra who previously drew public attention for raising the need for gugak education at a town hall meeting with the president, said the session was a significant help. "Even as I kept studying gugak, I had a lot of worries about where my studies and career were headed," she said. "This lecture helped me find a concrete direction for growing as a gugak musician."
After the session, Jeong said she hoped her words would serve as a small compass for students as they navigate their career choices. "As a sunbae and mentor in gugak, I will continue to watch over and cheer on these students as they pursue their dreams," she said.
KMCA Vice Chairwoman Lee Min-suk said the association has a responsibility not only to protect music copyrights but also to think about the future of Korean music. "We will continue to provide support and maintain exchanges so that young people who dream of becoming musicians can learn and grow in a stable environment," she said.
Meanwhile, the KMCA plans to expand its support for the Chungju Youth Ureuk Gugak Orchestra, with this session marking the start of a broader program. The association intends to invite orchestra members to its offices for a music industry field experience and will continue efforts to deepen their understanding of how the music industry works beyond the stage and of the rights of creators.
leechemy@heraldcorp.com
