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event

Virtual Choir
Festival Program

Part 1

Angelus Domini Choir (South Korea)
Ave Maria - I Believe 아베마리아 - 나는 믿네
Arr. by Cool-Jae Huh, Cond. Seon-Ha Jeon
Musica Intima (Canada)
Coriolis 코리올리
Music by Jordan Nobles
Schola Cantorum de Venezuela
(Venezuela)
Siempre Cantando 늘 노래해
Music by Alberto Grau, Cond. Maria Guinand
Eastern Chamber Singers (Philippines)
Colores Pacis 평화의 색
Music by John August Pamintuan, Cond. Anna Tabita Abeleda Piquero
Combined Chorus/
Busan Teacher's Choir & Dana Chorale
(South Korea & USA)
You Do Not Walk Alone 혼자 걷지 않아
Music by Elaine Hagenberg, Cond. Hae-Jong Lee
Sofia Vokalensemble (Sweden)
Trilo 트릴로
Arr. by Bengt Ollén, Cond. Bengt Ollén
Solist Ensemble of Busan Male Conductors
(South Korea)
Acc. Min-Hwa Yoon
You'll Never Walk Alone (with "Climb Ev'ry Mountain")
결코 혼자 걷지 않아
Arr. by Mark Hayes, Cond. Sung-Hoon Lee

아침 이슬 Morning Dew Music by Min-Ki Kim, Arr. Sun-Bong Ha, Cond. Sung-Yong Han

Make The One World With Our Songs (BCFC Anthem)
하나의 노래, 하나의 세상
Music by Young-Jo Lee, Cond. Kang-Kyu Kim

Part 2

Kentucky Harmony
and The Chuck Nation Band
(USA)
River Medley 리버 메들리
Arr. by Tim Sharp, Wes Ramsay, Cond. Tim Sharp
Young Choral Academy Chorus(Malaysia)
One Thousand Million Smiles 수없이 많은 미소
Arr. by Wong Shuen Da, Cond. Chi Hoe Mak
JOA Choir (South Korea)
Song of Peace 평화의 노래
Music by Hyun-Cheol Lee, Cond. Gun-Yoon Lee
Grupo Vocal Millennium (Spain)
사랑으로 With love
Music by Ju-Ho Lee, Cond. Jae-Sik Lim
The Archipelago Singers(Indonesia)
True Colors 진정한 색깔
Arr. by Saunder Choi, Cond. Ega O. Azarya
Sing Together, All Virtual Choirs!
홀로 아리랑 Arirang Alone
Music by Dol Han, Arr. by Hyun-Ju Baik

Participant

Angelus Domini Choir (South Korea)

Angelus Domini (the angel of the Lord) Choir was established in 1998 with the aim to continue the tradition of church music based on the liturgy of the Catholic church. This children’s choir belongs to Church Music Institute of the Catholic Diocese of Cheongju which makes great contribution to the social and cultural development of the region with cultural missionary work and community service with performances at social facilities as well as invitational performances in and out of Korea and a number of concert tours in Europe, becoming more popular in Korea and Europe. The choir won the grand prize of the ‘2005 Korea Youth Choir Competition,’ the gran prize of the ‘2014 Bohol International Choral Festival and Competition,’ a silver prize and special prize at the ‘2015 BCFC’, the grand prize of the ‘2016 Torrevieja International Habaneras and Polyphony Competition’, a gold prize at the ‘2019 BCFC’ and many more and it is becoming one of the representative choirs in Korea. Currently it has 31 members from elementary school to middle school.

Seon-Ha Jeon

Conductor Cheon has been well-received in international choral competitions with in-depth interpretation and detailed expression of music. After finishing Sejong University majoring in vocal music, she earned her master’s degrees in the Gregorian chant and semiotics at the graduate school of Catholic University and choral conducting at the graduate school of Gwangju University. She has conducted the Angelus Domini Choir under Church Music Institute of the Catholic Diocese of Cheongju since 1999 and has been recognized with her excellent ability by receiving various awards in Korea and abroad including the gold prize of the 2019 BCFC. Currently, she is working hard to further develop the field of children’s choir as the conductor of the Angelus Domini Choir and for more mature interpretation of music and conducting by continuously studying to establish more systematic academic theory.

Solist Ensemble of Busan Male Conductors (South Korea)

TENOR
  • Sung-Bae KimBusan Haeundae-gu District Women's Choir
  • Dae-Jin Moon Busan Geusung Church Choir
  • Seung-Woo Lee Busan Grace Silver Choir
  • Hyun-Sub Eum Busan Sahagu Children’s Choir
  • Eun-Min Lee Gramonde Choir
  • Hong-Gil Lee Busan Eunpa Choir
  • Jin-Gyu Chang Former cond. of Busan by the Union Academy Choir
  • Yun-Hwan Cho Busan Geumjeonggu Women's Choir
  • Sung-Young Han Busan Chorus
BARITONE & BASS
  • Kyung-Won KangBusanjingu Men's Choir
  • Young-ki Kwon Busan Haeundaegu Juvenile Chorus
  • Young-Ho Ko Busan Seogu Women's Choir
  • Seong-Bok Kim Busan Women’s Chorus
  • Sang-Jin Bark Busan SilverSunset Choir
  • Chan Park Glee Musical Choir
  • Jeong-Bo Sim Busan Donggu Women's Chous
  • Seong-Hoon Lee Busan Catholic Choir
  • Beom-Seok Chae Busan Middle School of Arts Choir
  • Jong-Young Heo Buasn by the Union Academy Choir
PIANO
  • Min-Hwa YoonNoel Choir

Combined Chorus

Busan Teacher's Choir (South Korea)

Busan Teacher’s Choir was established in 1995 by the teachers who majored in music. In the 24 regular concerts and various invitational performances, it has delivered the world of quality choral music to audiences. The main program is composed of various fun choral music ranging from polyphony a cappella, classical choral music, choral music created in Korea and songs from musicals and movies. In particular at every regular concert, the choristers sing songs with their pupils, giving such a touching moment to the audiences. This is a unique performance of this team that is not seen anywhere else. The choir also had concert tour to 4 cities in Germany and one in Shanghai, China with Busan Metropolitan Choir, to help the world know their music.

Dana Chorale (USA)

Dana Chorale is the premier choral ensemble of Youngstown State University. Led by Dr. Hae-Jong Lee, the ensemble performs regularly on campus and throughout the region, including numerous regional conference performances. The Dana Chorale periodically reaches out to connect with school programs across North-East Ohio and North-West Pennsylvania, consistent with its mission to share the love of music with others and to inspire others through choral singing. The Chorale delights in a reputation of performing diverse choral canon of all eras and genres consistently at the highest level, with the repertoire ranging from intimate a cappella settings to grandiose score with an orchestra and from the Renaissance madrigal and motet to delightful contemporary compositions.
The Chorale regularly serves as musical ambassadors beyond the region, traveling domestically and internationally. The Dana Chorale had a successful concert tour to South Korea in May 2017, collaborating with multiple academic, artistic, and religious institutions of South Korea.

Hae-Jong Lee

Dr. Hae-Jong Lee earned his degrees from Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea, Westminster Choir College, Princeton, NJ, and the University of Illinois, Champaign, IL. Lee joined the Dana School of Music, Youngstown State University as Director of Choral Activities in 2002. He remains active as a guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator for various choral events in North America and Korea. Other recent activities include lecture appearances in the Ohio Music Educators Association conferences, IFCM’s 10th World Symposium on Choral Music, and the Podium of Choral Canada. Lee has been a juror for the Busan Choral Festival and Competition, Korea. He has also conducted the BCFC Festival Youth Chorale during the event. Lee is a guest conductor of the Carnegie Hall Concert Series (under the auspices of the MidAmerica Productions Inc.) to conduct a festival chorus and the New England Symphonic Ensemble on May 29, 2021. Lee is an overseas advisor for the Seoul Motet Music Foundation (Seoul, Korea) and Korea Choral Institute (Busan, Korea). He is also an Honorary Conductor for the Noel Choir of Busan, Korea.

Eastern Chamber Singers (Philippines)

Has serenaded audiences as members of the University of the East Chorale from 1999 to 2016. As alumni of the university, they aim to continue the long standing musical tradition of the University of the East even after graduating. Under the tutelage of Piquero, the former University of the East choral group members garnered several awards and accolades from chorale festivals and competitions around the world, earning them the distinction as one of the finest choral groups in Asia. One of their biggest accomplishments was winning the Gold Medal and Grand Prix at the BCFC in 2006 and 2007. As members of the now Eastern Chamber Singers still led by Piquero, they were invited to perform at the Cultural Center of the Philippines 34th Concert Season to sing Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra in 2016. The original plan of the group this 2020 was to hold a reunion concert celebrating its 20th anniversary under Piquero’s tutelage. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the group will instead gather its members from all over the world to perform virtually. True to its vision as ambassadors of goodwill, they vows to continue their mission of spreading peace and love through singing global pandemic or not, the music goes on.

Anna Tabita Abeleda Piquero

An international choral clinician, jury, and conductor. She is fondly described by her colleagues as the woman with the Midas Touch, transforming the choirs she handles into beautiful, angelic, award winning choirs. From ordinary university choirs, she transformed the University of the East Chorale and the University of the Visayas Chorale into award winning choirs within 7 months of rebuilding. In a few years, these choirs reaped top awards in Asia and Europe making them two of the best University choirs in the Philippines. Koro Ilustrado, her all male church choir became nationally awarded within 7 months and internationally awarded within 6 years. Under her, these choirs won top prizes at the BCFC, UE Chorale who was the grand prix winner 2 years in a row 2006 and 2007, UV Chorale who won silver and bronze, and Koro Ilustrado who won gold and silver. She founded two national choral workshops and festivals, namely MUSIKAALAM in 2009, Manila based and MUSIKAALAM in 2018, Cebu based. She was a member and assistant conductor of the U.P Singing Ambassadors, afterwards, as a member of the Philippine Madrigal Singers, eventually pursuing her Conducting degree at the Asian Institute for Liturgy and Music and at the University of the Philippines College of Music. Currently, she conducts the University of Asia and the Pacific Chorale.

Grupo Vocal Millennium (Spain)

Founded by its Director Jae-Sik Lim in 1999. Initially made up of members of the RTVE Symphonic Choir, currently the staff is made up of professional singers from this and other national choirs. Among their most outstanding performances are the concerts for the New Year, at Auditorio Nacional de Música and at Teatro Monumental, both in Madrid. They have made national and international tours, especially important those that took him to Israel and South Korea. The two concerts held in Barcelona at the end of September deserve special mention for the ‘Asia Festival’ organized by the Casa de Asia in collaboration with the Forum of Cultures 2004. Radio Clásica from RNE and La 2 from RTVE broadcast some of their live performances, with great success from audiences and specialized critics. G.V.M has four recordings on CD. They are dedicated to Chamber Music, Zarzuela and the Korean Lyric Song. The latter is still little known in Europe, but thanks to the work of G.V.M and especially to maestro Lim, it is becoming more appreciated every day and is incorporated into the usual repertoires.

Jae-Sik Lim

He began violin studies at 5 and he received his first singing lessons at the Seoul Higher School of Music at 15. Later he expands his studies at the Music Faculty of Hang-Yang University. In 1983, he moved to Spain to improve his voice at the Superior School of Singing and at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Madrid, where he completed his studies with maestro Pedro Lavirgen, obtaining the title of Superior Professor of Singing. He has been head of tenors in RTVE Symphonic Choir. He has conducted different choirs in the Community of Madrid, among which the Chamber Choir "Villa de Madrid", the Choir of Miraflores de la Sierra, the Orfeón Filarmónico Magerit, the Choir of San Jorge and the Choir of Farmacéuticos de Madrid. Currently he combines ownership of the Chamber Orchestra and Grupo Vocal Millennium with the Choir of the Madrid Press Association. In 2009, the ‘Great Cross of Isabel la Católica’ was imposed on him, granted by the Government of Spain.

JOA Choir (South Korea)

JOA Choir is one of the most active female choirs in Busan, Korea conducted by Gun-Yoon Lee, a talented and young conductor and composer. The choir has been participating choral seminars and different kinds of concert and has accomplished great results. All choir members have a music degree and therefore it is a great advantage for them to perform as a better choir. JOA Choir was established in January, 2016 and had a successful 4 regular concerts. Also, they have won several prizes from choir competitions in Busan, Daegu and Bali. JOA Choir sings not only as a mission choir but also as a choir which prepares and performs a variety of genres. They put great effort to make the best sound they can make as a female choir.

Gun-Yoon Lee

Lee started conducting under the influence of Korean great master of conductor, Dr. Hak-Won Yoon. He majored in composing and choral conducting at Chung-Ang University in Seoul, then studied musical, modern music at graduated. He received doctor's degree at Korean traditional music conducting. His various abilities are expressed through music performances. His music is various, creative, and passionate. He is a conductor who comes to the world. In 2019, he was the An-Yang Children'S Civic Choir Director and has been noted for his strong leadership. He was awarded the Outstanding Conductor Prize at the Bali International Chorus Festival and Busan Choral Festival & Competition in 2017. He received the Artistic Award for his outstanding composition ability.

Kentucky Harmony & The Chuck Nation Band (USA)

Kentucky Harmony sings the music of Appalachia and the rural American south through harmonized original folk music, wilderness spirituals, shape notes, and hymn settings. Performances feature music arranged from the original folk sources found in the southern Appalachian region of the United States. Kentucky Harmony derives their name from the title of one of the earliest shape-note collection of songs from the American south. The Chuck Nation Band features Georgia state fiddle champion, Chuck Nation (fiddle, mandolin, vocals), and band members Susan Nation (double bass, vocals), Libby Nation (guitar, mandolin, vocals), and Jody Hughes (banjo). These accomplished musicians excel in folk music from the rural South. The Chuck Nation Band tours with Kentucky Harmony, and has played on legendary stages together such as Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium and New York’s Carnegie Hall.

Tim Sharp

Tim Sharp is artistic director and conductor of Kentucky Harmony. He is a native of the Appalachian area of Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia, and has studied and performed the music of Appalachia since childhood. Published regional histories include Nashville Music Before Country and Memphis Music Before the Blues. Tim arranges the music performed by Kentucky Harmony and The Chuck Nation Band with co-writer, Wes Ramsay. Their music is widely performed throughout the United States. Tim performs as a Deering® Banjo artist.

Musica Intima (Canada)

Internationally renowned for their warm and engaging stage presence, impeccable musicianship and new perspective on ensemble singing, musica intima has earned a reputation as Canada’s most exciting vocal ensemble. What makes the ensemble truly unique is that the singers rehearse using a shared leadership model, exchanging ideas freely while exploring their own musical creativity. In performance, the ensemble engages with the audience directly and spontaneously. Founded in 1992, musica intima has become an integral part of Canada’s cultural fabric. The ensemble regularly commissions and premieres works by Canadian composers (seventeen to date). The ensemble has graced the stages of Canada’s best known festivals, and has championed contemporary Canadian vocal repertoire in concert halls all over the world. Musica intima is frequently heard on national and international radio broadcasts, and has released ten commercial recordings. Recent highlights include recording “thirst” (2015) which was released on the composer-and artist-run Redshift label, a tour to Korea (2016), the independent release of the seasonal EP ‘Songs for a Winter’s Night’ (2018), and the Chan Centre-presented collaboration with vocalist and improviser Bobby McFerrin (2019).

Schola Cantorum de Venezuela (Venezuela)

Was born as Schola Cantorum de Caracas in 1967, founded and conducted since the beginning by Alberto Grau. During its 53 years of life, the choir has won the Guido D’Arezzo Competition, recorded more than 20 albums and has performed under important conductors around the world such as Claudio Abbado, Helmuth Rilling, Simon Rattle, Gustavo Dudamel, Krzystof Penderecki amongst many others. The Schola Cantorum created a Foundation in 1974 to promote choral singing and musical training for choral conductors in Venezuela and Latin America. This is why its ‘motto’ today is ‘We are more than a choir. We are a school of choral singing’. Since the beginning in 1975 of the Venezuelan Program of Music for Social Action known as ‘El Sistema’, the SCV was fully involved with this multi-award program, becoming its pioneer choir and performing in almost every choral symphonic work presented by El Sistema, including touring with some of its orchestras to many countries in Europe and America. Actually, the choir is under the direction of Maestra María Guinand and Luimar Arismendi as Associate Director.

María Guinand

Choral and orchestral conductor, university professor, pedagogue and leader of choral projects, is currently Artistic Director of the Schola Cantorum Foundation of Venezuela and the Choir of the Polar Foundation. In her long career, she has been the Associate Professor of the Simón Bolívar University (1976-2018, Venezuela) in the General Studies and the Master in Music; Coordinator of Choral Symphonic projects of El Sistema (1980-2012) and Director of the Simón Bolívar Conservatory of Music (1993-1996); Artistic Director (2003-2017) of the Música para Crecer program. She has also been President, Vice President and Advisor for Latin America of the International Federation for Choral Music (1996-2008). She won the awards: 'Kulturpreis' (1998), 'Robert Edler Preisfür Chormusik' (2000), the 2009 Helmuth Rilling Award, the Life Achievement Award of the International Federation for Choral Music (2019) and the Honorary Doctorate of the Metropolitan University, Caracas, Venezuela (2020). With the Cantoría Alberto Grau, she won 6 Prizes in the Choral Competitions of Neuchatel and Arezzo (1989) and with the Orfeón Universitario Simón Bolívar, three gold medals in the Choral Olympics, Linz 2000. She is frequently invited as Director and Teacher to conduct choral programs and master classes all over the world and also to be part of international juries.

Sofia Vokalensemble (Sweden)

In 1995, Sofia Vokalensemble was founded in Stockholm, Sweden by Bengt Ollén, who continues to be their committed artistic director. Performances are characterized by a warm, lyrical Swedish choral sound and a stage presence that has taken the ensemble far in international competitions, tours and concerts Music by Bach, Poulenc, Pärt and Schnittke are frequently featured. The choir has also premiered original work by Jaakko Mäntyjärvi, Fredrik Sixten, Jacob Mühlrad, Sven-David Sandström, Matthew Peterson and Karin Rehnqvist, to name a few. They have received Grand Prix for Choral Singing (International Choir Competition, Maribor, Slovenia, 2011), Grand Prix (Grieg International Choir competition, Bergen, Norway, 2009), First prize in two categories, second prize in Grand Prix final (47th International Choral Competition “C.A. Seghizzi”, Gorizia, Italy, 2008), three Olympic Gold Medals (Choir Olympics, Bremen, Germany, 2004), etc.

Bengt Ollén

Bengt Ollén is Sofia Vokalensemble’s founder and constant conductor since 1995. Bengt has studied under Gösta Ohlin and Gunnar Eriksson at the Academy of Music and Drama in Gothenburg and in 1981 he formed the Vocal Ensemble Amanda. Studies in orchestra-conducting under Lennart Hedvall, Jorma Panula, Robert Reynolds and Everett Lee. Bengt is also the founder and the conductor of Södra Dalarnas Chamber Orchestra and artist and conductor in residence for Oratorie choir VOX since 2003. Yearly this orchestra and choir take part in the festival Musik vid Siljan. Bengt is frequently engaged as adjudicator in competitions, guest teacher, teacher in conducting and as conductor at festivals, workshops and concerts, nationally and internationally. From 1994 to 2018, he was working as a teacher of choir singing at the international well known Stockholms Musikgymnasium. With these choirs he has achieved great success in choir competitions around the world. The performances of Sofia Vocal Ensembles under Bengt Olléns conducting are characterized by a Swedish excellent choir-sound, presence and a joy of singing which have proved successful in international competitions and concerts all over the world.

The Archipelago Singers (Indonesia)

Was awarded the Grand Prize, Gold Prize of Classical Mixed Category, Gold Prize of Pop/Acapella Category at 2019 Busan Choral Festival & Competition in Busan, South Korea. This followed the choir’s achievements of consecutively winning the first prizes in the previous five prestigious international choir competitions it participated: Varna, Bulgaria (2016), Manila, Philippines (2015), Torrevieja, Spain (2014), Cantonigros, Spain (2014) and Miltenberg, Germany (2012). Apart from the achievement in the competitions, in 2018, the choir performed as the first Indonesian invited choir in the “Festival des Chœurs Lauréats (Festival of Winners)” in Provence, France, which is regarded as one of world’s most prestigious non-competitive choir festivals.

Ega O. Azarya

As music director and conductor of The Archipelago Singers, he has brought this choir to international level with achievements in various prestigious international choir competitions. His musical journey begun as a singer in Parahyangan Catholic University Choir, where he currently acts as its Associate Conductor. In addition to his conductorship in The Archipelago Singers, Ega dedicates his life as an educator sharing his love and passion in music to young singers as well as young conductors in Musicasa Sanggar & Studio, Jakarta and in Parahyangan Catholic University Choir, Bandung. Ega was awarded with the Conductor Award at the 2019 BCFC in Busan, South Korea.

Young Choral Academy Chorus (Malaysia)

A flexible and versatile ensemble, consisting of singers drawn from the various award-winning choral ensembles from Young Choral Academy – Malaysia’s first centre and hub for choir education and choral activities. The members are experienced choristers, many of them are alumnus of award-winning ensembles such as The Young KL Singers, Teacher’s Ensemble and Ottophony vocal consort. They are gathered by a common love and passion for singing and choral education, and participated in concert projects collaborating with the country’s leading orchestras such as the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, Selangor Symphony Orchestra. Notable projects include Kingdom Hearts Orchestra World Tour–Malaysia(2017), SoundBridge Contemporary Music Festival(2017), Let’s Rock I & II(2017, 2019), Hungary-Malaysia 50th Years of Diplomatic Ties(2019). The chorus is conducted by Chi Hoe Mak, Artistic Director of Young Choral Academy.

Chi Hoe Mak

Currently Artistic Director of Young Choral Academy, Artistic Director and Conductor of the Penang Philharmonic Chorus and Resident Chorus Master of Kuala Lumpur City Opera in Malaysia. He is co-founder of the Malaysian Choral Eisteddfod (MCE) and has won numerous prizes and awards with his choirs. He has been invited on the jury panel and presented as a clinician at several international choir competitions, festivals and workshops in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Ireland, Myanmar, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, UK and throughout Malaysia. An alumnus of the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire in the UK, Chi Hoe received two Master of Music degrees in Vocal Performance and Choral Conducting, both with Distinctions and the Advanced Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Performance where he studied choral conducting with Paul Spicer(Finzi Singers). He was named one of Birmingham’s ‘New Generation Artists’ in 2008 and won all the major conducting prizes at College including the 2009 and 2010 Michael Beech Conducting Awards and the prestigious Principal’s Prize for ‘outstanding contribution to the musical life at the institution’. He has been conferred an Honorary Membership (HonRBC) of the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire for his outstanding contribution to his profession and is a member of the IFCM Asia-Pacific Choral Council.

Special guest

Angel Peace Art Group (South Korea)

It is an art group consisted of teenagers in Busan working hard for the future of Korea through discovering and training hidden talent. They have been actively working to introduce the excellence of Korean culture through a synthetic arts such as K-pop, musical, Korean dance, chorus and Taekwondo.

Janggo Dance

Janggo Dance is one of the time-honoured folk dances of Korea. Janggo, a kind of hourglass drum which is the main property played in the dance, originated from yogo, a musical instrument of Koguryo, and it has been a favourite percussion instrument of the Korean people for a long time.
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