DUO CONCERT

JH ARTS & IC ARTISTS SERIES

· Soprano Suryun Kim & Pianist Sangwoo Park Duo Concert

· Date: Thursday, May 22, 2025, at 7:00 PM

· Venue: Opera America - Marc A. Scorca Hall (New York, Manhattan)

· Host by JH Arts Corporation

Soprano Suryun Kim and pianist Sangwoo Park will present a duo concert at Marc A. Scorca Hall at Opera America in Manhattan, New York. Both artists are currently pursuing their Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degrees at the University of Connecticut and are recognized for their outstanding performance and research activities. This concert will offer a rare opportunity to experience the depth of their musical artistry and academic excellence.

The concert is part of the JH Arts & IC Artist Series, organized by JH ARTS CORPORATION. This distinguished series has previously presented acclaimed performances such as the Carnegie Hall recital of Metropolitan Opera baritone Joo Won Kang with pianist Thomas Muraco, the solo recital of Italian pianist Sandro Russo, and the 30th debut anniversary concert of soprano Youngok Shin. The series has also collaborated with renowned ensembles including the National Chorus of Korea, Ulsan Civic Orchestra, and the Symphony Orchestra of New Jersey.

This duo concert by Suryun Kim and Sangwoo Park is anticipated to deliver a deeply moving and inspiring experience for all classical music lovers.

DUO CONCERT PROGRAM

Michael Head (1900-1976)

· The Ships of Arcady

· Beloved

· A Blackbird Singing

Suryun Kim, Soprano & Sangwoo Park, Piano

Clara Schumann (1819-1896)
Sechs Lieder, Op. 13

· Ich stand in dunklen Träumen

· Liebeszauber

· Die stille Lotosblume

Suryun Kim, Soprano & Sangwoo Park, Piano

Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849)

· Prelude Op.28 No.3

· Prelude Op.28 No.16

· Ballade Op. 52 No.4

Sangwoo Park, Piano

Intermission

Maurice Ravel (1875–1937)
Gaspard de la nuit

· Ondine

· Le Gibet

· Scarbo

Sangwoo Park, Piano

Yoon Hak-jun (1960- )

· The Meeting

· Reverberation

· The Star

Suryun Kim, Soprano & Sangwoo Park, Piano

PROGRAM NOTE

Michael Head (1900–1976)
Over the Rim of the Moon
Poetry by Francis Ledwidge (1887–1917)

Over the Rim of the Moon is a song cycle composed in the early 1920s by British composer Michael Head, based on poems by Irish writer and soldier Francis Ledwidge, who perished in World War I. Both Head and Ledwidge shared the experience of war, which imbues this cycle with a particular poignancy. Head deliberately avoids dramatic excess, instead choosing musical simplicity and sincerity to preserve the integrity of Ledwidge’s poetic voice. The result is a reflective, emotionally resonant work that bridges personal memory, natural imagery, and imaginative escape.

· The Ships of Arcady conjures a dream of Arcadia—an idealized realm of peace and beauty—through flowing melodies and warm harmonic progressions.

· Beloved offers an intimate statement of love and devotion, articulated through spare textures and lyrical understatement.

· Blackbird Singing evokes the quiet of the countryside, where the song of a blackbird becomes a metaphor for absence and remembrance.

Clara Schumann (1819–1896)
6 Lieder, Op. 13
Texts by Heinrich Heine, Franz Emanuel Geibel, and Friedrich Rückert

Clara Schumann’s 6 Lieder, Op. 13, composed between 1840 and 1843, marks her first published song collection following her marriage to Robert Schumann. These songs reflect a rich spectrum of emotional expression—love, longing, reminiscence, and quiet yearning—set to the poetry of three leading figures of German Romanticism. The cycle exhibits Clara’s distinctive poetic sensitivity and her ability to shape a compelling musical narrative through a seamless partnership between voice and piano. The piano serves not merely as accompaniment but as a full expressive partner, guiding the emotional trajectory of each piece.

· Ich stand in dunklen Träumen (Heine) offers a dreamlike meditation on lost love. Its restrained melodic line and blurred harmonic landscape evoke a poignant atmosphere of memory and sorrow.

· Liebeszauber (Geibel) contrasts with a vibrant depiction of love’s enchantment. Rhythmic clarity and lively textures characterize the joy and intensity of romantic passion.

· Die stille Lotosblume (Geibel) presents a symbolic portrayal of concealed love and inner purity, expressed through transparent textures and lyrical delicacy.

Frédéric Chopin(1810–1849)–Preludes, Op. 28 No.3 in Gmajor & No. 16 in B-flat minor

Chopin’s Preludes, Op. 28, form a cycle of 24 miniature pieces, each set in a different key, modeled loosely after Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier.

· The No. 3 in G major is a brief yet radiant piece, characterized by its lilting triplets in the right hand and a lyrical, almost improvisatory left-hand line. It evokes a fleeting sense of joy and lightness, like a musical sigh of spring.

· In contrast, the No. 16 in B-flat minor is a tempestuous and virtuosic display, often dubbed the “Hades Prelude.” Its relentless torrents of notes and fierce rhythmic drive present a formidable technical challenge, unleashing storm-like intensity in a brief whirlwind of emotion.

Frédéric Chopin – Ballade No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52

Regarded by many as Chopin’s most profound and structurally complex ballade, the Ballade No. 4 blends poetic narrative with architectural sophistication. Inspired possibly by the poetry of Adam Mickiewicz, the work unfolds with a sense of storytelling, beginning with a quiet, enigmatic introduction. The main themes develop gradually, weaving counterpoint and variation into a tapestry of increasing emotional depth. The final section builds to a breathtaking coda of brilliant double octaves and cascading arpeggios, bringing the piece to a climactic and tragic conclusion.

Maurice Ravel – (1875–1937) Gaspard de la nuit

I. Ondine – II. Le gibet – III. Scarbo

Composed in 1908, Ravel’s Gaspard de la nuit is a virtuosic suite for piano based on the fantastical poems of Aloysius Bertrand. Each movement conjures a surreal image, blending Impressionistic textures with transcendental technical demands.

· Ondine portrays a seductive water nymph singing to lure a man into her shimmering underwater world. Ravel’s flowing arpeggios and delicate harmonic shifts create a luminous, glistening soundscape.

· Le gibet presents a haunting scene of a corpse hanging from a gallows at sunset. The tolling of a distant bell is imitated by a repetitive B-flat, creating a static, eerie atmosphere throughout.

· Scarbo, the final and most daunting movement, depicts a grotesque and unpredictable goblin. Bursting with sudden outbursts, dizzying scales, and ferocious rhythmic complexity, Scarbo challenges the limits of pianistic control and imagination.

Hakjun Yoon
Majung (The Meeting), Reverberation, The Star
Texts in Korean by Hur Rim and Lee Byeong-gi

Hakjun Yoon is one of the foremost composers of contemporary Korean art song, known for his refined melodic lines, expressive restraint, and sensitivity to the nuances of the Korean language. His songs often center on themes of longing, nature, memory, and quiet introspection, rendered in music that blends lyrical clarity with a subtle modern sensibility. The three works presented here showcase his ability to translate poetic imagery into sonic form with both elegance and emotional depth.

· Majung (The Meeting) is a heartfelt vow to run toward a beloved who cannot come. With gradually ascending vocal lines and a restrained piano texture, the piece culminates in the striking poetic image: “I will be there, standing as a flower.”

· Reverberation reflects on the lingering presence of a love that has passed, conveyed through long-breathed phrases and subtle tonal shifts. Evocations of wind, scent, moonlight, and water imbue the song with atmospheric richness.

· The Star, based on a poem by Lee Byeong-gi, portrays a solitary figure under a quiet night sky. The serene melody and clear formal structure reflect the introspective tone and classical elegance of the poem.

Suryun Kim Biography

Soprano Suryun Kim captivates audiences with her exceptional musicality, warm sensitivity, and refined expressiveness.

She graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree from Yonsei University and continued her studies at Yonsei University’s Graduate School of Education, where she was awarded a scholarship. During her graduate studies, she wrote a thesis on Mozart’s genius and gifted education, earning an M.M.Ed. degree.

Following her academic studies, She served as a high school music teacher for eight years, devoting herself to nurturing the next generation of musicians. Her warm personality and strong leadership left a lasting impression on her students.

To further develop her artistry, she pursued studies in the United States and earned her M.M. degree as a scholarship recipient from The Hartt School in Connecticut, studying under Dr. Thomas Cannon. She is currently pursuing a D.M.A. degree at the University of Connecticut under the guidance of Dr. Constance Rock.

She has performed leading roles such as Gilda in Rigoletto, Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor, Manon in Manon, and Cupid in Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld, earning praise for her technical brilliance and musical depth. She also appeared as Gabriel in Haydn’s The Creation (Die Schöpfung) and as the soprano soloist in Mozart’s Vesperae at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts.

Her performance experience includes a recital at Carnegie Hall in New York, and she continues to expand her career both in Korea and abroad. As a leggiero coloratura soprano, Kim skillfully performs some of the most demanding repertoire with grace and precision.

Sangwoo Park Biography

Pianist Sangwoo, Park, hailing from Seoul, South Korea, is enthusiastically embraced for his wide-ranging intellect and sensibility, coupled with sophistication and grace.

Graduating from Seoul Art High School after completing the preparatory program at the Academy of the Arts and the Korean National University of Arts, he earned his bachelor's degree from Seoul National University. Subsequently, he pursued and completed his master's degree at the Eastman School of Music, and obtaining a PSD at the Mannes School of Music.

Actively participating as a regular member of the PhAH Piano Research Society in Korea, he engages in numerous performances and strives for the advancement of music.

Currently pursuing his Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) at the University of Connecticut under the Co-Advisor of Dr. Angelina Gadeliya, Park Sangwoo has distinguished himself early on through success in numerous prestigious competitions in Korea and participation in renowned international competitions. He has studied with esteemed pianists Ann Schein, Enrico Elisi, and Hee-Sung Joo.

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