북한의 전문 피아노 연주자 교육 연구

A study on the education for professional pianists in North Korea: Emphasis on the analysis of the educational system and piano method books.

This study aimed to deepen understanding about the North Korean educational system for their professional pianists. To achieve this goal, this study performed the analysis of the educational system and piano method books. This study researched on North Korean Music education. In educational system, this paper summarized materials from interviews, forums, and special lectures. For the study of method books, this study analyzed published North Korean piano method books for both basic-level kindergarten students and the upper mid-level professional classes. The character of the educational system is as below. First, North Korea establishes professional educational institutions, such as Pyung-yang Music and Dancing School, and the government provides the full scholarship for their students. Second, a difficult entrance exam and their political backgrounds are concerned for admissions, and the school starts its education when students become the first grades, 8 years old. Third, the school continues up to the fourteenth grades(4-3-3-4). Fourth, The education for political thought is particularly emphasized compare to the other general educational programs of the North Korea. Fifth, they use method books for the piano published in North Korea. The method books contained praises for their leader, and political propagandas. The kindergarten method books use the Middle C approach with detail explanations for the appropriate exercise methods and the music theory. They emphasizes practice to make a good sound by the strong knuckles. The tempo, expression, and directions were explained in the pure Korean. For the practice, they put some pieces about praise music for their leaders and political education. The professional method books contain arranged famous North Korean song pieces by the current North Korean educators. They fill spaces in melody’s continuity, by using Scale, Arpeggio, Rhythm, Trill, and Octave. Also, it includes a large portion asking for the training of performance technique skills. Likewise, in North Korea, the government selects talented students in early ages, training in both politics and performance to produce professional pianists. Then those pianists bears a responsibility to deliver the revolutionary thoughts to people. Hopefully, this study inspires following several studies on the education for the professional pianists in North Korea, and South and North Korean piano education is going to show progress up to the world class level.