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I believe that Korea is one of the few countries where women composers constitute more than 40 percent of all composers. Most women professionals in Korea are systematically suppressed and typically have a lower social status than men, but the field of music composition is a notable exception. The Korean Society of Women Composers (KSWC), a leading organization founded in 1981, has championed their right to have equal opportunities and has provided a forum for women to bond together and achieve a strong sense of community. With a newly organized board of directors, the KSWC, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, is launching new services for developing worldwide networking and encouraging academic studies that focus on issues related to women composers.
The KSWC, its Founding and Activities
The KSWC was founded by six women composers active in Korea; Young-ja Lee served as the first president. The society's original purpose was to support women composers and to provide opportunities for the performance of their works. Over the past 20 years, the society has grown to become one of the most representative of the various academic/professional societies in Korea, and it continues to expand, with a current membership of about 140.
In keeping with KSWC's principal aim -- to produce concert series for member composers -- the society...