Isang Yun "Königliches Thema"
Arvo Pärt "Spiegel im Spiegel’
Poetry Reading: Song of 'But' by Ko Un
Prokofiev Sonata for violin and piano No.2
Martinu Duo for violin and cello, No.1
Haeguem Sanjo
Jean Ahn “Archimedes’ Principle" for haeguem and piano trio
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Ensemble Ari
“Ari” is a Korean word with multiple meanings: big river, wisdom and beauty.
Ensemble Ari is a group of Korean American musicians in the Bay Area who wants to share this quality with the community. Our mission is to bridge Korea and other communities through western instruments while honoring Korean history and culture.
Members of the Ensemble
Jean Ahn (composer/director)
Korean native Composer, Jean Ahn has been recognized, awarded, and honored by many. Her compositions have been featured at Aspen New Music Festival, American Composers Orchestra’s Ear Shot (by Memphis Symphony), June in Buffalo, Oregon Bach Festival, Festival of Contemporary Music, IAWM and Pacific Korean Music Festival, among others.
Jean’s music brings Asian traditional elements into western music. Her piano collection, “Folksong Revisit” and voice collection, “Folksong” are ongoing projects that show her vision to introduce Korean songs and techniques to professional performers in the US. She also uses electronics/computer music to extend the boundaries of traditional instruments. Commissions include works for the Leftcoast Chamber Ensemble, Gayaguem Soloist JUL, Volti Chamber Choir, Duo Camaraderie, Locrian Chamber Players, and the Pianissimo among others. Dr. Ahn holds a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley and a M.A. and B.A. from Seoul National University. She is the director of Ensemble Ari and is on faculty at UC Berkeley. www.jeanahn.com
Baritone Joo Won Kang, a native of South Korea, received his Master’s Degree at the Manhattan School of Music and a Bachelor’s Degree at Yon-sei University in Korea. As a member of the 2011 Merola Opera Program, he was invited to join San Francisco Opera’s prestigious Adler Fellowship, where he was a member for two years. Mr. Kang appeared on the stage of San Francisco’s War Memorial Opera House, in a variety of roles. Prior to his time in San Francisco, Mr. Kang was a member of the Young Artist Program at Florida Grand Opera, where his roles included Germont in La Traviata. Mr. Kang has been a Top Prize winner in many vocal competitions including First Prize Winner in the McCammon voice competition, Gerda Lissner International Competition, Palm Beach International Competition, the Ades Vocal Competition at MSM, and Semi-Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.
San Francisco Bay Area native, Pianist Sharon Lee Kim is an active chamber musician, director, vocal coach, and instructor. She is a frequent recitalist and has performed and recorded throughout the nation and internationally. Ms. Kim joined the Saint Mary’s College Music Faculty in the fall of 2008. She is the Assistant Director and Accompanist of the internationally award-winning Saint Mary’s College Choirs, and the Assistant Director of the Faculty Chamber Sundays Series. Aside from teaching at the college, Sharon is the co-founding member of Duo Camaraderie together with flutist Laura Scarlata, and works at the SF Conservatory of Music, Crowden Music Center, and SF Girls Chorus. Sharon maintains a thriving private studio, teaching piano students and vocal coaching singers. Sharon holds degrees from UC Berkeley (BA) and New England Conservatory (MM and GD). Her primary teachers were Irma Vallecillo, Kayo Iwama, John Greer, Barbara Shearer, and Margret Elson. www.SharonLeeKim.com
Violinist Jiwon Evelyn Kwark is a dynamic soloist, chamber musician, orchestra musician, and a teacher full of love for her students. She holds a bachelor’s degree from The Juilliard School, a master’s degree from Yale School of Music, and obtained Professional Studies from Manhattan School of Music in the Orchestral Performance Program. Her primary teachers were Glenn Dicterow, Ani Kavafian, Lisa Kim, Masao Kawasaki, and Alexander Treger. Since making her solo debut with the Amabile Orchestra in Korea at the age of 9, Ms. Kwark has performed with numerous orchestras in the U.S. and Korea.
Recently, she toured the cities of Germany with the Penderecki Musik Academie Orchestra as the concertmistress, and performed as a soloist with the orchestra under the baton of renowned composer, Maestro Penderecki. Ms. Kwark performs regularly as the Associate Principal Second Violinist of the Marin Symphony and Berkeley Symphony, fellow at the San Francisco Academy Orchestra, and violinist of Symphony Silicon Valley. www.jiwonevelynkwark.com
Violist Jaehee Jeong is a native of South Korea. She received her Bacheler’s degree from Seoul National University of Music. After graduating she continued her studies in Germany and completed her Diplom, Solist diplom and Chamber music diplom at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater, Mannheim. Jaehee Jeong is a member of two prominent groups in Korea, Hwaeum Chamber Orchestra and Seoul String Ensemble. She is also the Director of Ensemble ‘SEON’. Her performing career as soloist, chamber, and orchestra musician has taken her to Japan, Germany and the U.S. as well as cities throughout Korea. She has appeared as a soloist with the Korean Symphony Orchestra as well as other top Korean orchestras. Ms. Jeong was on the faculty of Chungnam National University, Hanyang University, Dankook University, Mokwon University, Kangwon National University, and Chugye University.
Acclaimed by music critics as “free, warm and very expressive” performer, Cellist, Sarah Hong was born in Seoul Korea. She began studying cello at the age of six and was selected as most promising young cellist in the nation at the age of 16, her performance broadcast nationwide by KBS. She made her New York debut at Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall as a winner of Artists International. Ms. Hong studied at the Juilliard School with Zara Nelsova and Joel Krosnick while receiving both of the BM and MM degrees. She finished her artist certificate in chamber music at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music under the direction of Bonnie Hampton.
Ms. Hong lives in Los Altos where she balances a busy career as a soloist, collaborative artist, and teacher. Currently, she is a cellist of Le Due Muse (cello & piano duo) with Makiko Ooka and Ensemble Ari. She teaches special need children as a music director at AMASE. She also started the ‘Phos (φῶς)’ Benefit Concert Series to support various non-profit organizations serving children in underdeveloped countries. www.cellistsarahhong.com
Dr.Heeguen Song, Violinist. Ms. Song was a prizewinner at the Henryk Szerying International Violin Competition in Mexico. She has also won the first prize at the Kingsville International Competition and was a prizewinner at the Irving M Klein International Competition. A native of Korea, Ms. Song has studied at Oberlin Conservatory, The Juilliard School, Yale School of Music and Rutgers University. Her teachers include Arnold Steinhardt, Peter Oundjian, Masao Kawasaki and Roland, Almita Vamos. Currently a violinist at the Oakland East Bay Symphony.
Cost: Free