Dr. Jong H. Kim, associate professor of music and director of choral activities at Lynchburg College, has been invited as guest conductor of the Suncheon City Choir, a 36-voice professional choir based in Suncheon City, Korea. The choir will perform on June 14 in the Suncheon Art Center Performing Hall.
This is the second time in less than a year that Dr. Kim has returned to his native South Korea to serve as guest conductor for a professional choir. In October 2006, he conducted the Daejeon Philharmonic Choir, a 40-voice choir, whose members have all earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in music.
The Suncheon City Choir was formed in 1985 as a community chorus and became a full-time professional choir in 2001. Dr. Kim will be the choral group’s first guest conductor. "They wanted a fresh conductor from abroad," Dr. Kim explained, "and I accepted because I am interested in spreading good choral music." Dr. Kim was recommended to the group by the Korean league of conductors.
According to Dr. Kim, June is considered a "sad" month in Korea because of the Korean War and Memorial Day, so he has created a special program for the concert. "I hope to provide hopeful comfort with my ‘Voices of Light and Love’ program," he said.
The program will include four main sections. The first, "Songs of Praise," will include, Cantate Domino (Sing to the Lord, Psalm 96) by Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck; Verbum caro factum est by Hans Leo Hassler; Psalm 100 (Jauchzet dem Herrn, Sing to the Lord) by Felix Mendelssohn; and Praise to the Lord, arr. by F. Melius Christiansen
The second section, "Songs on Light," will feature Lux aurumque (Golden Light) by Eric Whitacre; O Nata Lux (O Born Light) by Morten Lauridsen; Lux aeterna (Eternal Light) by Edwin Fissinger; and True Light by Keith Hampton
The third section, "Songs of Longing, Love, and Hope," will include three works by Johannes Brahms, An die Heimat (To My Homeland); Der Abend (Evening); and Fragen (Questions); along with Amor de mi alma (You are the Love of My Soul) by Z. Randall Stroope; and Over the Rainbow from "The Wizard of Oz" by Harold Arlen, arr. by Hugo Fray; Nella Fantasia (In My Fantasy), Music by Ennio Morricone, arr. by Audrey Snyder. The program will conclude with two spirituals, Deep River, arr. by Rene Clausen; and John the Revelator, arr. Paul Caldwell/Sean Ivory.
Dr. Kim holds a doctor of musical arts degree in choral conducting from Michigan State University, a master of music degree in choral conducting from Eastman School of Music, and bachelor of music and master of music degrees in composition from Chung-Ang University (Korea). Prior to joining the Lynchburg College faculty in 2002, he taught at Dixie State College of Utah, Oakland University (Michigan), and Chung-Ang University.
Dr. Kim has directed numerous professional choirs and orchestras in the United States and Korea. He frequently performs as a soloist and professional chorister and is in demand as an adjudicator for choral festivals. He also serves as director of music for Quaker Memorial Presbyterian Church in Lynchburg and as chorus master for Opera on the James.