ARIRANG for String Orchestra

performance as string quintet by members of SMART Orchestra, San Marcos TX Arirang is a collective name for hundreds of Korean folk songs; many are ancient traditional songs, and others are newer. The Gangwondo Arirang is from Gangwon Province in northeastern South Korea and the adjacent North Korean Kangwŏn Province, which were a single province before the 1945 division of Korea. Its distinctive rhythm of two unequal beats (3 subdivisions + 2 subdivisions: a long beat followed by a short  beat) will be a exciting challenge for young players.

The familiar Bonjo Arirang was actually composed for a 1926 Korean film, and soon became a symbol for the nation and the people of Korea. It is sung today in both North and South Korea, and represents a symbol of unity in the region that was divided by the Korean War.

DURATION: 5:00