In its history, Korean music can be largely divided into two kinds of traditional music; before 1965 and creative music after then. In the year, the first traditional music orchestra was founded, which not only modernized Korean Tradition but also ope...
In its history, Korean music can be largely divided into two kinds of traditional music; before 1965 and creative music after then. In the year, the first traditional music orchestra was founded, which not only modernized Korean Tradition but also opened a new era of Korean traditional orchestral music, genuinely with the combination of Eastern and Western music. 2015 is a meaningful year because the genre of Korean traditional orchestral music, welcomes its 50th anniversary. For the last half a century, a number of people involved in Korean tradition have contributed significantly to the development of Korean traditional orchestra music while completing their mission to preserve and transmit our traditional music.
Of course, in the process, they have conducted research in many areas, for example, how to vitalize culture & arts groups, how to operate and improve music bands, or how to operate the organizations and manage their budget. But to develop Korean traditional orchestral music more substantially from now on, we should not remain in analyzing or evaluating the actual status of Korean traditional orchestral music merely by performing research in the perspectives of art management and policy. It is important to conduct evaluation and figure out problems through multilateral analysis from the aspects of art management and policy and then suggest how to develop and improve it.
Let’s examine the background of founding traditional music orchestras in Korea first. They focused on transmitting our tradition in a modernized way as a new art genre. But at the same time, it was also associated with their roles in providing new jobs for graduates majoring in Korean tradition and practice in universities then as well as the government’s keynote for cultural policy.
Therefore, primarily, it would be more accurate for us to understand that the foundation of traditional music orchestras was the product of external modernization rather than of the flow of art history. This, in fact, led to the quantitative growth of traditional music orchestras in consideration of most of the music bands founded afterwards. This quantitative growth was attributed to the social atmosphere of the time as well as the change of cultural environment, not the need for art or demand from the public who were the consumers then. We should focus on this more particularly because it is the present condition that traditional music orchestras are in today. Accordingly, we should devise the most efficient as well as strategic plans, for development and the very point where the government should make policies for it.
The purpose of this study is to implement plans and solutions for better operating culture & arts-related national and public groups more substantially. by analyzing and evaluating them from the perspectives of art management and policy and suggesting measures to improve them. To attain the goal, based on Eastern and Western music theories, this researcher has comparatively analyzed the organizational status, operational status, and financial status of national and public traditional music orchestras in the aspects of art management and policy and suggested how to operate traditional music orchestras more efficiently.
The subjects of comparison and analysis were limited to Seoul Metropolitan Traditional Music Orchestra, the National Orchestra of Korea, and Seongnam Municipal Traditional Music Orchestra. Also, the status of their operation ranged from general operation and organizational operation up to financial operation and so on, and in terms of the period, data and activities were collected mainly from 2012 until 2014 for research and analysis.
With the process, this author has drawn the following conclusions: first, concerning the matter of establishing relationship between traditional music orchestras and concert halls, ‘the foundation should become a corporation’ to attain the goal of the orchestra, that is securing the autonomy of operations. It is because fo this reason art groups are stationed at concert halls is to stabilize art people’s life and secure space to enhance creative capacity.
Second, in the financial aspect, it is needed to elevate it to a legitimate level that will not damage their financial independence or public interest. To realize this, it needs to reduce national and local subsidies after a fixed period. Gradually help the groups maximize their management, mind themselves to be a more specialized art group, and also support them institutionally by the government so that their effort can lead to fruition.
Third, in the aspects of organizational operation, the current national and public traditional music orchestras embrace structural problems in their organizations, so it is hard for them to operate efficiently. For more reasonable operation, they will have to reorganize their divisions according to their own area of specialization and conduct division of works to realize specialization in planning, production, publicity, and marketing.
Fourth, concerning the matter of recognition, previously anyone could join in a group if they were equipped with excellent artistic talent, regardless of the characteristics of consumers or the art market. To adapt themselves to constantly changing culture environment and realize future-oriented development, the members desperately need to alter their awareness. Mainly with reflecting the needs of art consumers and keeping the visions and objectives of the group they belong to firmly in mind. Furthermore considering ‘what should be done and how it can be done’.
Now is the time that traditional music orchestras should stand up from where they are and lay the ground for alteration. Traditional music orchestras’ key to success is to improve relationship with both national and public concert halls as a start. Then to enhance the conditions of their organizational and financial operation, and also realize the essence of traditional orchestral music. To attain the goal, they will have to employ strategic approaches and also devise plans for more efficient development.