Tradition and Artist Overview
Elena Moon Park is a musician who likes to reimagine traditional folk and children’s music from East Asia, including her parents’ home country of Korea. Traditional Korean music includes a wide range of styles, from court music to folk songs. From the mountains, Korean songs emerge that feature traditional instruments like the gayageum (a zither-like string instrument) and the piri (a double flute). Frequently drawing inspiration from nature, the Hangul lyrics in Korean music reflect themes of mountains, animals, and harvests. Elena’s connection to this heritage is further enriched by her conversations with friends and family, allowing her to continually find new inspiration and reimagine timeless Korean melodies.
Elena was born and raised in a small town in East Tennessee by South Korean parents. After studying classical music, Elena learned improvisation and toured with the all ages band Dan Zanes and Friends, playing violin, mandolin, trumpet, spoons, musical saw, and singing. In 2012, Elena released Rabbit Days and Dumplings, which features reimagined folk and children’s music from East and Southeast Asia, including songs in Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese, Tibetan, Mandarin, Cantonese and English.
Lesson 1: Learning “San Toki (산토끼)”
Students will learn a bilingual song and explore how a song can be old and new at the same time.
Lesson 2: Learning “Doraji (도라지)”
Students will explore traditional elements of “Doraji” by singing, listening, and sharing food traditions.
Additional Teaching Resources
- Elena’s all-ages album, Unhurried Journey, includes educational videos and print out activities! Visit unhurriedjourneymusic.com.
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