In my sophomore second semester (spring 2022) I was able to take Korean drumming. I gained a grand amount of knowledge about drumming, Korean culture, and life in general while in the class. The class was structured into 2 parts: learning about the culture , and drumming. The class began with meditation, which was incredibly beneficial as a tool for centering myself. We then went on to do a drumming exercise that warmed us up, and introduced us to the section of the piece (the composition that we worked on throughout the semester and eventually performed) that we would be learning for that session. After that we talked about the history behind the section. This process offered not only a grand amount of knowledge regarding Korean Drumming tradition , but also allowed me to see the importance of drumming within the culture. I think the class structure of practicing with the goal of performing also provided me with the mindset that in order to do well in general I have to continuously work hard. The final performance went extremely well in that everyone played their parts fairly seamlessly, and it was fun. Along with understanding that a strong work ethic is needed for success, I learned that taking a step back in the form of self reflection is also very valuable. The meditations we did gave me the tools I needed to be able to relax and destress myself.
Korean Drumming!
