Born in Manchuria in 1936, Paik studied composition at Seoul National University and the Musikhochschule in Hannover with Hoe-Gab Chung and I-Sang Yun. During the last 40 years with his works reaching about 100 pieces, he led the Korean contemporary music community. His works have been performed and well received in Korea and abroad including Japan, USA, Germany, France and Netherlands. Being one of the most active composers as well as devoted teacher, he received the first New Artistic Prize, the Korean National Composer’s Award, the Seoul City Cultural Prize, the Korean Professor of Composition at Seoul National University and Executive Board Member of Asia Composers’ League and many other music associations including Prospective Music Society of Korea.

*updated November 1997