National Rhythms and Melodies Are Sustained

 

The musical heritage bequeathed by the ancestors embodies the beautiful and ennobling national emotions and feelings.

The DPRK is directing great efforts to inheriting and developing the tradition in musical creation and activities.

The National Musical Instrument Institute, the Korean Dance Institute under the Phibada Opera Troupe and other specialized research institutes are conducting their activities under the close concern of the state.

The National Folk Art Troupe and other central art troupes, as well as local art troupes, are creating works of folk music in line with their respective characteristics and the aspirations and demands of the audiences.

Performances that combine traditional instruments and vocal music instil the national dignity and pride in the people.

They re-present the folk songs sung since long in various ways including solos, duets, and kayagum ensemble, and stage them, winning applause from the audiences.

Efforts are also being made for the education of folk music.

The traditional instrumental music faculty at Pyongyang Kim Won Gyun University of Music and Dance always draws many applicants.

Not only such educational institutes of musical art but also schoolchildren’s palaces and halls and schools and even kindergartens encourage that are traditional in their 

musical education and bring up many prodigies who would shoulder the future of traditional music.

Social awareness of the traditional music is being raised constantly.

The traditional music contest held as part of the national mass art competition a few years ago showed the scope of the activities of the traditional art.

There are many families, whose members are all traditional instrumentalists, enjoying respect and praise in society.

The tradition of folk dance is also being carried forward.

Popular among the works of folk dance are Peasant Dance, created by combining the farming life of the Korean people and their folk ceremonies, and Janggo Dance, which is tuneful and worth enjoying as it combines various ways of beating the drum and dance movements in a harmonious way.

Sometimes folk dance and instrumental works performed by several hundred people, even by over a thousand, are staged during the artistic performances, leading the audiences to the world of national emotions.

The Korean people are further striving to sustain their unique national traditions created and developed over a long period of time.