Haejin Bang

Biography

Drawn between silence/sound, d. haejin bang’s interdisciplinary and community work is currently based within unceded Tongva land (Los Angeles) and Corea. Born and raised in Koreatown, LA, their explorations revolve around the voice, body, and Silence. Their main focus underlines gaps and the interjacent: How can we better listen?

Currently a second-year Ph.D student, haejin’s focus as a trans-diasporic corean is based on exploring ‘embodied silences,’ a cartography of collective intergenerational trauma, by exploring the affects of sound tied to body. Through the practice and performance of pansori, their goal is to both explore and create multidisciplinary resources for other diasporic folks looking to learn more about indigenous corean music, histories, and philosophies. Learning both the 소리 (voice) and 북 (drumming) that make up 판소리/pansori, they are currently studying with 명창/master singers Min Hyesung and Song Jae-Young as well as with 고수/Master Drummer Cho Yong-Soo. Community and collaboration are a central focus of haejin’s life. Grounded within organizing, they are currently an Artist Fellow at the California Arts Council and the Arts Council for Long Beach, working alongside local BIPOC and working class communities to co-create art with and for the community. They also serve as a member of the Beverly-Vermont Community Land Trust, located within Central Los Angeles. haejin received a Bachelor’s of Music in Instrumental Performance from New York University, minoring in both Social and Cultural Analysis as well as Creative Writing. Their work continues move towards and build upon inquiries: How can we create change in our communities through collective organizing, sound/silence, listening – the sensitivity and understanding that these processes foster?

Research

Education

BA Music in Instrumental Performance: New York University

Minoring in both Social and Cultural Analysis as well as Creative Writing