The song I have selected is “Ah-Rirang” by artist Kim Ok-sim. In this recording of the song, there is a female vocalist who is accompanied by several instruments. Drums, wind instruments (aerophones), and chordophones can be heard. The aerophones often mimic/play the melody alongside the vocalist. This song stood out to me because I have played “Variations on a Korean Folk Song” in band, as well as sang an arrangement for choir. Hearing one of the versions of this song be performed with Korean instruments and a vocalist has given me deeper knowledge about musical traditions of Korea. Taking a song that you are already familiar with and deep diving into its history is an eye opening experience because it shows that music can serve many purposes. Considering there are over 3,000 variations of this Korean folk song, the context in which it is performed can vary significantly. One of the contexts includes the song being used as an unofficial resistance anthem during the time of Imperial Japanese rule, as singing the Korean National Anthem during this time was a crime. The use of music during times of war has always been a fascinating topic for me, so uncovering this part of the song’s history was intriguing. Music is essential to so many ways of life, and reading about the use of music to push through difficult times in history is fascinating. 

Here is the link: https://youtu.be/6xLDxWQ0c0I?feature=shared