S U N G J I H O N G
- Lux Aeterna, 2022, 6 mins - SSA Choir or four female voices (SSAA)
- Noël Nouvelet, 2017, 4 mins - five female voices (SSAAA)
- Postia scien Jesus 2016, 6 mins - mixed voices (SATB)
- O nata lux, 2015, 6 mins - three female voices (SSA)
- Ficus enim non florebit, 2013, 7 mins - four female voices (SSAA)
- The Lord is my Shepherd, 2007, 8 mins - mixed voices (SATB)
- Emendemus in melius, 2004, 6 mins - mixed voices (SATB)
- Pater Noster, 2004, 12 mins - mixed voices (SATB)
- Missa Lumen de Lumine, 2002, 30 mins - three female voices (SSA)
Hong’s CD release Stella Maris on the ECM New Series (ECM 1929), performed by the vocal ensemble Trio Mediaeval, received critical acclaim and reached the top ten on the Billboard Classical Chart and Itunes classics. Since it was released, her Missa Lumen de Lumine has been performed by Trio Mediaeval in over 60 cities around the world, at the Indianapolis Early Music Festival (2017: Indianapolis/USA), Sommerlichen Musiktage Hitzacker Festival (2016: Hitzacker/Germany), Edinburgh Booking Dance Festival (2012: Edinburgh/UK), Kirchenmusik wochen in Neuss (2011: Neuss/Germany), The Oslo Chamber Music Festival (2011: Oslo/Norway), the Boston Early Music Festival (2007: Boston/USA), the San Francisco International Arts Festival (2007: San Francisco/USA), the International Music Festival Bath (2007: Bath/UK), the Bergen International Festival (2007: Bergen/Norway), the Festival International de Musiques Sacrées (2006: Fribourg/Switzerland), Gernrode MDR Musiksommer (2006: Romanische Kirchen/Germany), the David Oistfest Festival (2006: Parnu/Estonia), the Ettiswil Festival (2006: Ettiswil/Switzerland), the Kuoroespoo International Choral Espoo Esbo Körfestival (2006: Espoo/Finland), the Ultima Oslo Contemporary Music Festival (2005: Oslo/Norway), the Venice Music Festival (2005: Venice/Italy), and others.
Sungji has been working with ising silicon valley [director. Jennah Delp Somers], In Mulieribus [director. Anna Song], Seraphour, Ensemble Créations [director. Yeomyoung Lim, Marseille/France], The BBC Singers [London/UK], The Choir of the Temple Church [director. Stephen Layton, London/UK], Dulciana Vocal Ensemble [director. Eoghan Desmond, Dublin/Ireland], Voces Inauditae [director. Caroline Lesemann-Elliott, Edinburgh/Scotland], Aella [Ottawa/Canada], Volti Chamber Choir [director. Robert Geary, CA/USA], Seattle Pro Musica [director. Karen P. Thomas, WA/USA], Renaissance Voices [director. G. Kevin Dewey, MI/USA], Con Spirito [director. G. Kevin Dewey, MI/USA], The New York Virtuoso Singers [director. Harold Rosenbaum, NY/USA], Vox Vocal Ensemble [director. George Steel, NY/USA], Lorelei Ensemble [director. Beth Willer, MA/USA], Trio Artemisia [IL/USA], Ensemble Vocal Omnia Cantore [Mexico city/Mexico], Seoul motet choir [director. Chiyong Park, Seoul/Korea], and Trio Mediaeval [Oslo/Norway].
2002, 30 mins - for three female voices (SSA)
[ R e c o r d i n g I n f o r m a t i o n ]
Performed by: Trio Mediaeval, Grammy Award winners
Stella Maris - ECM Record (1929 476 3021)
Recording producer: John Potter (Former Hilliard Ensemble Tenor)
Engineer: Peter Laenger
February 2005 at the monastery of Propstei St. Gerold in Austria
Hong’s CD release Stella Maris on the ECM New Series (ECM 1929), performed by the vocal ensemble Trio Mediaeval, received critical acclaim and reached the top ten on the Billboard Classical Chart and Itunes classics. Since it was released, her Missa Lumen de Lumine has been performed by Trio Mediaeval in over 60 cities around the world, at the Indianapolis Early Music Festival, Sommerlichen Musiktage Hitzacker Festival, Edinburgh Booking Dance Festival, Kirchenmusik wochen in Neuss, The Oslo Chamber Music Festival, the Boston Early Music Festival, the San Francisco International Arts Festival, the International Music Festival Bath, the Bergen International Festival, the Festival International de Musiques Sacrées, Gernrode MDR Musiksommer, the David Oistfest Festival, the Ettiswil Festival, the Kuoroespoo International Choral Espoo Esbo Körfestival, the Ultima Oslo Contemporary Music Festival, the Venice Music Festival, and others.
"Trio Mediaeval’s sound world is fully authentic for Sungji Hong’s Mass Lumen de Lumine, written for the Trio. Lumen de Lumine creates exquisite sonorities by exploring different vocal tessituras and textures."
- Nicky Losseff
Postea sciens Jesus
2016, 6 mins - for mixed voices (SATB)
Postea sciens Jesus is a setting of the book of John. It explores various vocal tessitura and textures. It is written for voices alone and is scored for mixed voices.
The duration of the piece is 5 minutes and 30 seconds. It was composed during the autumn of 2016. Postea sciens Jesus was first performed by Voces Inauditae under the direction of Caroline Lesemann-Elliott at the Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart in Edinburgh, Scotland on 19 May 2018.
The piece has been performed multiple times by Ensemble Créations under the direction of Yeomyoung Lim in Marseille, Perpignan, Canet-en-Roussillon, and Saint-Martin de Pallières, France.
[ R e c o r d i n g I n f o r m a t i o n ]
Performed by: Ensemble Créations
Conductor: Yeomyoung Lim
Place: La Cathedrale Souterraine, Saint-Martin de Pallières/France.
Date: September 6, 2019
「Biblical Music Without Words」 Written by James F. McGrath
Lux Aeterna
2022, 6 mins - for SSA Choir
LUX AETERNA for SSA a cappella was commissioned by iSing Silicon Valley to be performed during the iSing Spring Concert "Love & Light" under the direction of Jennah Delp Somers on May 22 at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph in San Jose (CA), USA. iSing’s second full-length album, Love & Light is scheduled for release by AVIE Records in April 2023 and it includes LUX AETERNA.
The piece is dedicated to those who lost their lives in Ukraine and also those we loved in our lives.
Recorded live at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph in San Jose (CA) on May 22, 2022.
[ R e c o r d i n g I n f o r m a t i o n ]
Performed by: iSing Silicon Valley
Conductor: Jennah Delp Somers
Place: Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph
Date: May 22, 2022
The ‘Psalm of the Shepherd’ (Psalm 23) represents God as a protector, provider and source of comfort for all human beings. It is a text which speaks about hope, care, compassion and the unconditional love of God.
This a cappella piece is scored for mixed unaccompanied voices (SATB) and was composed during the spring of 2007 in Thessaloniki, Greece. The Lord is my Shepherd was commissioned by the Foundation for Universal Sacred Music and was first performed by The New York Virtuoso Singers under the direction of Harold Rosenbaum at the 4th Universalist Society in New York.
The Lord is my Shepherd is dedicated to my mother.
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Choir: The New York Virtuoso Singers
Conductor: Harold Rosenbaum
Place: The 4th Universalist Society, New York/USA.
Date: 27 April 2008
The text of the piece is from an anonymous hymn of the 10th century. It is written for voices alone and is scored for three female voices. In the piece, polyphonic writing is often followed by homophony in various tempi and moods.
The duration of the piece is 4 minutes and 30 seconds. It was composed during the summer of 2015. O nata lux is written for trio Artemisia.
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Performed by: In Mulieribus
Conductor: Anna Song
Place: St. Mary's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland (OR).
Date: 19 December 2021
Ficus enim non florebit
2013, 7 mins - for three female voices (SSA)
Hong displays both purity and discord though stark unisons and open sonorities, juxtaposed with thick parallel dissonance. She chooses to set the opening description of poverty and loss with austere and patient homophony. It is not until the speaker rejoices (“Ego autem in Domino…”) that the three- part texture thickens to four unsettled voices, sliding in labored parallel augmented triads, tritons and minor seconds. This ironic setting poignantly wrings the earthly nature out of this text.
-Beth Willer
Ficus enim non florebit was commissioned by Lorelei Ensemble. It was received its first performance on May 23, 2014 by Lorelei Ensemble under the direction of Beth Willer at the Memorial Church, Harvard University in Boston.
[ R e c o r d i n g I n f o r m a t i o n ]
Performed by: Lorelei Ensemble
Conductor: Beth Willer
Place: The Memorial Church, Harvard University in Boston (MA)
Date: 23 May 2014
Emendemus in melius
2004, 6 mins - for mixed voices (SATB)
Emendemus in melius opens with long melismatic phrases of ‘emendemus in melius’ (Let us atone for the sins). It moves to quiet choral implorations which of harmonies create a serene atmosphere. A dramatic climax leads the piece to the end for the words ‘libera nos’ (deliver us).
The work begins as a very personal, introspective "prayer", and progresses through a series of variations culminating in what can best be described as resounding exclamations of pure religious ecstasy. Emendemus in melius is in eight parts and the text is from the Tridentine Matins on the first Sunday of Lent.
The piece was received its first performance on 2 February 2005 by the Choir of the Temple Church under the direction of Stephen Layton.
Emendemus in melius was awarded to the First Prize at The Temple Music Composition Prize in 2004.
[ R e c o r d i n g I n f o r m a t i o n ]
Performed by: Ensemble Créations
Conductor: Yeomyoung Lim
Place: La Cathedrale Souterraine, Saint-Martin de Pallières/France.
Date: September 6, 2019
Pater Noster
2004, 12 mins - for mixed voices (SATB)
This a cappella piece is scored for mixed unaccompanied voices (SABT). Pater Noster was commissioned by MATA Festival. The piece was received its first performance on 15 May 2004 by Vox Vocal Ensemble under the direction of George Steel at the St. Peter's Church in New York.
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Choir: Renaissance Voices & Con Spirito
Conductor: G. Kevin Dewey
Place: North Congregational Church, Farmington Hills (MI)/USA.
Date: 10 June 2007
「Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis」 Written by James F. McGrath