Traditional Korean children's songs: Collection, analysis and application

Abstract

This study investigates the presence of Korean traditional children's songs in the memories of a selection of elderly people who preserve them. Since there are few collections of traditional Korean children's songs, it was reasoned that by going to human resources for such music, heritage songs might be gathered which could then be adapted to a curriculum in music for young children. During the last century Korean children have more frequently learnt traditional children's songs of Western Europe and North America than they have learnt the songs of their own Korean traditions. To more effectively transmit collected traditional children's songs to new generations of Koreans both at home and abroad, such a study could also recommend teaching applications for these disappearing songs to be used with pre-school and primary children.