Meridian Music presents "Pung, A, Song" a program of Korean court, folk and contemporary music for piri, saenghwang and taepyeongso performed by Yunkyong Jin. Jin is an authority on the piri, a bamboo reed instrument, central to Korean folk music.

Program:
1. A lesson in music (work in progress, 2012) by Hyo-shin Na
2. Nakyangchun
3. Hahyeon Dodeuri
4. Piri Sanjo
5. Traditional folk music
6. Joseon Tanggo
7. Shaman ritual music

"Yunkyong Jin represents the quintessential young Korean music artist-deeply entrenched in Korean musical traditions yet eager to extend beyond standard sonorities to a new world of cooperation and creation. With this recording, Jin contributes solidly to Korea's 21st century sound, setting the bar higher for the world of contemporary gugak creation.

Jin is among the young generation of piri performers. The piri, reed instrument constructed of bamboo, produces a sound that defies expectations. Often untenably compared to the Western classical oboe, the piri is tiny by comparison but possesses an unexpected sonority. Instead of metal keys and an elongated wooden body, the piri is simple: reed and bamboo... At once shrill and soothing, the piri is among a family of instruments that can found in Japan and Turkey, as well as other parts of Europe and Asia, yet it has maintained its own unique character within Korean musical traditions. In court music ensembles, the piri (perhaps due to its capacity for volume) takes the leading melodic role for ensemble performances and plays a central role in many folk performance genres."

- Hilary Vanessa Finchum-Sung, Department of Korean Music, Seoul National University