| The
4th New York International
Choral Festival
Monday,
June 19th 2006 at 8pm, Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center |
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SOUND
OF KOREA, Soo Kwan Park |
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Dr.
Soo-Kwan Park , Virtuoso of Korean Eastern Style Folk Songs,
'Menarijae'
Began his study of singing in his childhood after being fascinated
by the beauty of the Korean folk tunes such as Sangyosori (Chants
for the funeral parades), Gaksori-Taryong (Song of beggars
which has been sung as they were begging), etc..
Dr. Park has brought his performances of Korean folk music to Japan
, Germany , Italy , and the USA as well as throughout his native
country, Korea . Since his Carnegie Hall debut in 2000, Dr. Park
performed on the stage of Lincoln Center 's Alice Tully Hall as
the featured soloist of the World Food Day Concert, Oct.18 th ,
2001 and ¡°Sound of Korea¡± at Kennedy Center .
Dr. Park made his solo appearance at the Vigil Ceremony for closing
2002 World Cup, Yokohama , Japan .
Dr. Park is presently engaged in preserving and spreading Korean
Traditional Music as the president of Kapwoo Cultural Foundation.
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OVERSEAS
CHINESE CHILDREN'S CHORUS
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The
New York Overseas Chinese Children's Chorus (OCCC) was founded by
Ms. Pi-Chu Hsiao on August 3, 1986 . The principle aim of the chorus
is to develop appreciation of music by these children, enhance their
musicianship and through the beauty of Chinese songs, generate a
greater appreciation of, and interest in, Chinese culture and language.
The
OCCC, with a growing reputation, has often been invited to perform,
at such venues as
Lincoln Center , Waldorf Hotel, and Rockefeller Center , as well
as many overseas Chinese and community charity events.

Their
Beautiful voices and unmitigated joy in singing, coupled with their
earnestness and seriousness in purpose, have touched audiences everwhere
and won much praise and applause. ..
Ms.
Pi-Chu Hsiao is a graduate of the Taipei Normal University
. She as dedicated her life to many areas of music education
and community service. As a music teacher for over fifty years she
has transformed many elementary, secondary school and university
student choruses as well as som adult choruses into all-province
championship choruses.
She has served with the Ministry of Education in Taiwan , as Director
of the Children's Chorus of the Chinese Broadcasting Corporation
and conductor of the Young Lions Chorus in addition to many other
posts and is a well-known music adjudicator in musical auditions
and competitions.
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JPPC
Jewish People's
Philharmonic Chorus |
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The
Jewish People ' s Philharmonic Chorus(JPPC) founded in
1922 as the "Freihiet Gezang Farein," began as a musical
expression of the Jewish labor movement. It has evolved into an
intergenerational chorus with a solid reputation as an interpreter
of a wide range of choral material. One of the longest continually
performing Yiddish choruses in North America, the JPPC currently
has more than 30 members, as well as a smaller chamber ensemble
for special events. Performing for diverse audiences in the greater
New York area has enabled the JPPC to carry Yiddish music to people
of all ages. Recent venues have included Lincoln Center, Shea Stadium,
Ground Zero, the North Amirican Jewish Choral Festival, Queens College,
Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun, and the Museum of Jewish Heritage.

Binyumen
Schaechter, conductor of JPPC who has conducted the JPPC
since 1995 is an award-winning composer of musicals and other songs
which have been performed on five continents, with his music represented
off Broadway in Pets! (Dramatic Publishing), That's
Life (Outer Critics Circle nomination), Too Jewish?
(nominated: Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle Awards) and Double
Identity.
His most recent musical, Dinner at Eight, won BMI's Jerry
Bock Award for Outstanding Achievement in Musical Theatre. His music
has been performed by Tovah Feldshuh and Andrea Marovicci and has
been recorded on nine CDs, including It Helps to Sing About
It, songs of Ben Schaechter and Dan Kael.
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THE
CHORUS 'Han-Yu-Hoe' of Korea |
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The
Chorus 'Han-Yu-Hoe' of Korea was established in Octover
2003 by those who overcame breast cancer and wished to live a
healthier life through music. Some of the group's
activities include raising awareness about breast cancer and bringing
hope to those who are currently affected. Chorus 'Han-Yu-Hoe'
has performed as part of the Pink Ribbon Campaign in numerous
locations including Seoul Tower, Seoul City Hall Plaza, Incheon
Arts Complex, Korean National Assembly Hall, Auditorium of Severance
Hospital, and Seocho Municipal Theater.

Gun
Soo Lee, conductor of the Chorus Han-Yu-Hoe received
his bachelor of music and master of arts degrees from Joong-Ang
University. He then received his diploma in orchestra conduction
from Moscow Conservatory and also completed his apprenticeship
with the Cleveland Orchestra. Mr. Lee was formerly a member of
the Moscow Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra and the Seoul Metropolitan
Symphony Orchestra. He has also been the guest conductor for the
Korean American Youth Orchestra and has recently conducted the
Prime Philharmonic Orchestra of Seoul for the Korean premiere
of The Magic Flute from Korea, The Land of Morning Calm.
Presently he is a faculty member of Gunkuk University, Chunju
State University, Seoul City College, among others. He is also
presently the conductor of Chorus 'Han-Yu-Hoe' of Korea and Gangbuk
Municipal Orchestra.
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A-JUNG
KAYAGEUM ENSEMBLE |
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Hyosook Jung,
artistic director of A-Jung Kayageum Ensemble, received her masters
of music in Korean traditional music from Sook Myung Women¡¯s
University of Seoul Korea. She was the recipient of the Virtuoso
Award at the National Korean Traditional Music Competition and
the grand prize winner of Seoul Traditional Music Competition.
She also recently received the Delphic Award as the best singer
from the second Delphic Games held in Kuching, Malaysia 2005.
Ms. Jung¡¯s numerous performances include the Suwon World Cup
Stadium as part of the opening ceremony for the 2002 Korea Japan
World Cup and she has also performed in Ulan Bator, Mongolia,
after being invited by the Mongolian government to celebrate the
82nd anniversary of the country¡¯s independence. Presently Ms.
Jung is a Official Successor of the Intangible Cultural Heritage
#23 in Kayageum Sanjo and Byung Chang and is also the founder
and director of the A-Jung Kayageum Ensemble and the A-Jung Korean
Traditional Music Institute.

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Highbridge
Voices
came to life in 1998 in a converted parking garage underneath a
housing complex in the Highbridge community of the South Bronx.
The aim of the after-school program was to transform the lives of
children through the discipline required to perform as a world-class
choir. It was anticipated that the lessons learned in overcoming
the obstacles and barriers that come with the territory of one of
the poorest communities in the United States would transfer to other
areas of their lives...and they have.
From that modest beginning Highbridge Voices has grown to include
over 200 students in its program. Members have performed at Lincoln
Center, Radio City Music Hall, on the Today Show, Good Day New York,
and the David Letterman Show. They have also performed at numerous
religious services and special ceremonies from St. Patrick's Cathedral
to the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx.

Alison
Crockett, conductor of Highbridge Voices is a Brooklyn-Based
vocalist, pianist, and songwriter whose style is steeped in a deep
soul tradition, with generous helpings of jazz and blues. This Washington,
D.C. native decided early on that a career in music was to be the
path she would travel. Piano was her first love but she soon studied
voice at Duke Ellington School for the Performing Arts. Ms. Crockett
honed her vocal skills at Temple University in Philadelphia, and
then earned a masters degree at the prestigious Manhattan School
of Music. While living and performing in Philadelphia, she met up
with dj/producer King Britt (formerly of Digable Planets) and recorded
the now classis, "Season's Change" for the groundbreaking
Sylk 130 recording, When the Funk Hits the Fan (Ovum/Sony Music).
She was also featured on four other genre bending tracks on the
album including the first single, "Gettin' Into It." Billboard
loved her "throaty, diva-styled vocal."
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