Dr. Ju-Yong Ha is a distinguished ethnomusicologist and composer whose career bridges academia, composition, and intercultural performance. He has been instrumental in introducing Korean and other Asian musical traditions to audiences across the U.S., Europe, and South America. As a scholar, he has published widely on Korean music and immigrant culture in journals such as The World of Music, Asian Music Research, and Music and Culture. He also serves as director of the International New York Sanjo Festival and has worked with the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. Dr. Ha has taught at Seoul National University, the Korea National University of Arts, and Yeungnam University, and has lectured at leading institutions including Harvard, Dartmouth, and the University of Pennsylvania. Currently, he is Assistant Professor of Ethnomusicology at the University of Hartford. His teaching philosophy emphasizes a student-centered, inclusive classroom where mutual exchange of knowledge enriches the learning experience. By integrating students’ cultural and musical backgrounds into his courses, Dr. Ha encourages critical thinking, nurtures creativity, and promotes deep engagement. His goal is to create an environment where students feel empowered to explore and express their ideas through music.

curriculum vitae

Publications:

• 2024  “Narratives Across the Pacific: Pansori Performance and its Reception History in the U.S., in Asian Music Research (Tongyang umak), vol. 56: 281-316.
• 2024  “Echoes Across the Pacific: A Performance and Reception History of Arirang in the U.S.,” in Studies in Korean Music, vol. 76: 25-52.
• 2022  “I am a New Yorker: Localization, Globalization and Korean Community Arts in New York City,” in the World of Music (new series), vol. 11, no. 1: 63-86.
• 2021  “Female Masculinity and Cultural Symbolism: A History of Yeoseong Gukgeuk, the All-Female Cast Theatrical Genre,” in the Review of Korean Studies, vol. 24, no. 2: 107-144.

Invited Presentations:

• 2023  “From Marginalized to Mainstream: Situating Korean Cultural Studies in the 21st Century Humanities Center,” Decolonizing the University Lecture Series, The Humanities Center, The University of Hartford.
• 2023  “Korean Traditional Music: Aesthetics and Cultural Expression of Han and Heung,” Han & Heung Festival: Exploring the African-American and Korean Diasporas Through Music. Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
• 2019  “Contemporary Soundscapes of Korean Music: Global Outreach Perspectives,” Gugak Contemporary Ensemble & Lo Sociedad, The Influencers; Sala de Conferencias León de Greiff; Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
• 2019  “Case Studies in Korean Music and Spirituality: ssitkimgut, shaman cleansing ritual for the dead,” ethnomusicology forum, Prof. Egberto Bermúdez, Conservatorio de Música, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
• 2018  “Female Masculinity and Cultural Symbolism: A History of the All-Female Cast Theatrical Genre, Yeoseong Gukgeuk, Society for Ethnomusicology (SEM) Annual Conference, Albuquerque, NM

• Donald W. Davis University Interdisciplinary Studies Award, University of Hartford, 2025
• Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence, awarded by the Minister of Culture [Do Jong-Hwan], The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea, 2017
• Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence, awarded by the Minister of Culture [Yu In-chon], The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea, 2010