Conference Agenda
The Online Program of events for the SEM 2026 Annual Meeting appears below. This program is subject to change. The final program will be published in early November.
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Click on the session name for a detailed view (with participant names and abstracts).
Please note that all times are shown in the time zone of the conference. The current conference time is: 29th Aug 2026, 08:11:53pm EDT
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Daily Overview |
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09H: Reimagining Korean Music: Circulation, Translation, and Transformation Location: Sassafras | |
| Presentation 3 | |
A hybrid notational system for Korean Buddhist chant and its potential for further applications N/A Beompae, a collective term for Korean Buddhist chant used in specialized rituals, is an oral tradition that has been transmitted since the 9th century, when it was first introduced from the Tang Dynasty. Comprised of long melismatic phrases, it is often performed solo without any accompaniment. In a recent study, I devised a hybrid notation to transcribe several beompae songs, enabling more effective analysis. It combines the conventional staff notation with digitally generated line notation, thus providing detailed musical information and a visually enhanced representation. I demonstrated its efficacy as an analytical tool by addressing seemingly arbitrary rising pitches in a structural framework. In this paper, I aim to explore the hybrid notational system’s potential beyond serving as an analytical tool for beompae. First, it is well-suited for transcribing various vocal traditions, in which sounding precise pitch is not a priority. It can contribute to cross-cultural comparative analyses of Buddhist traditions, such as Japanese shōmyō and Tibetan dbyang, which have rarely been discussed in ethnomusicology. Second, it offers pedagogical benefits for beompae, as its initial design was mindful of beompae practitioners’ learning method of using line-notated supplements. With close collaboration with active practitioners, I consider various practical and conceptual aspects of the hybrid notational system as possible learning supplements for beompae. | |
