Rising Choir Conductor to Perform with National Chorus

'Young Conductor Invitation Concert' at IBK Chamber Hall, Seoul Arts Center on the 18th

Rising conductor Hwang Ju-yeon. Photo by National Chorus

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] The National Chorus presents a unique stage with emerging conductors.

The National Chorus announced on the 1st that it will hold the 'Emerging Conductors Invitation Concert' on November 18 at the IBK Chamber Hall of the Seoul Arts Center. This concert marks the debut of Hwang Juyeon and Lee Miyeon, winners of the 2nd Choral Conducting Competition hosted by the Korean Choral Conductors Association last September, as guest conductors.

Previously, in July last year, the National Chorus planned this concert to discover and nurture talented emerging conductors by providing performance opportunities to the next generation of domestic choral conductors through a business agreement with the Korean Choral Conductors Association. Through this performance, they aim to build a human infrastructure for choral conducting and plan to present invitation concerts annually to promote the development of the choral music scene in Korea.

In this performance, two emerging conductors will lead various programs for male, female, and mixed choirs on each stage. Conductor Hwang Juyeon will present 'Five Songs' by German composer and pianist Johannes Brahms. Among these, the second song imitates the sound of a horn signaling the peaceful night of the watchman, and the fourth song depicts the aging man through contrasts between fast and slow tempos.

Following this, they will perform 'Train' from the mixed choir piece 'Due West' by Canadian composer Stephen Chatman. This piece humorously expresses the sounds and musical panorama of a train rattling on the tracks using various onomatopoeias, ostinato (a short melody or rhythm repeated throughout the piece), and basic harmonic progressions. Additionally, they will conduct mixed choir pieces by 20th-century American contemporary composer Aaron Copland and male choir pieces such as 'Beati Mortui' by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, a composer and conductor representing German Romanticism.

Rising conductor Lee Mi-yeon. Photo by National Chorus of Korea

Conductor Lee Miyeon will present 'Songbird,' a female choir piece by Canadian composer and educator Sarah Quartel. This piece features effects that resemble birds chirping and imitating each other, telling the story of a small bird singing brightly and freely and the narrator gaining courage through it. Following this, they will perform 'Star,' a modern reinterpretation by composer Yoon Hakjun of the poem 'Star' by Lee Byunggi, a pioneer of Korean literature. The program also includes diverse pieces such as 'My Love Dwelt in a Northern Land,' a mixed choir piece by British late Romantic composer Sir Edward Elgar; 'Zigeunerleben,' a mixed choir piece by Robert Schumann, a representative of the Romantic era; and 'Dukkeobi,' a mixed choir piece newly arranged by composer Lee Jinsil based on a familiar traditional Korean children's song.

Conductor Hwang graduated at the top of his class from the Composition Department (majoring in choral conducting) at Chung-Ang University College of Music. He earned a master's degree in choral conducting from Kansas State University in the United States and a doctorate in choral conducting from Arizona State University. He was invited to the Latvia International Choral Conducting Competition and reached the semifinals of the Poland International Choral Conducting Competition. In 2022, he won a gold medal and conductor's award at the World Youth and Children Choral Artists’ Association (WYCCAA). Currently, he teaches choral conducting at Seoul National University of Education and Chung-Ang University, nurturing future talents.

Conductor Lee completed a bachelor's degree in piano at Chung-Ang University College of Music and a master's degree in accompaniment at Sungshin Women's University Graduate School, followed by a master's degree in choral conducting at Ewha Womans University Graduate School. She has taught at the State University of New York Korea (SUNY Korea) and Hwanil High School (choral instruction) and served as the regular accompanist for the World Vision Choir. She won first place at the 19th Music Journal Competition and second place at the 2nd competition hosted by the Korean Choral Conductors Association. Currently, she teaches at the Seoul Conducting Academy.

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