S U N G J I H O N G
O R C H E S T R A
- Silence, 2024, 15 mins - 2222, 4331, 3perc, hp, strings & solo oboe
- Erat lux vera, 2020, 4 mins - 2222, 4221, 2perc, hp, strings
- Operatic Breaches, 2012, 12 mins - 3333, 4331, 2perc, timpani, hp, pf, strings
- Monolithous, 2007, 15 mins - 3333, 4331, 3perc, hp, pf, strings
- Kiklos, 2002, 15 mins - 3333, 4331, 3perc, timpani, pf/cel, strings
S O L O I S T W I T H E N S E M B L E O R O R C H E S T R A
- Silence, 2024, 15 mins - 2222, 4331, 3perc, hp, strings & solo oboe [see also ORCHESTRA]
- Igerthi, 2023, 20 mins - fl, ob, cl, bn, hn, trp, trb, 1 perc, hp, 2vn, va, vc, db & solo piano [see also CHAMBER MUSIC]
- Transfiguration, 2017, 15' 10 - ensemble (picc, ob, cl/bcl, pf, vn, va, vc) with tape & solo alto flute [see also MIXED MEDIA]
- Prismatic, 2008, 15 mins - picc, fl, ob, cl, bcl, bn, hn, trp, trb, 2perc, hp, strings & solo piano [see also ORCHESTRA]
- Descending Flow, 2005, 9 mins - fl/picc, ob, cl/bcl, perc, pf, vn, va, vc, db & solo gayageum [see also CHAMBER MUSIC]
Silence - Concerto for oboe and orchestra
2024, 20 mins - 2222, 4331, 3perc, timpani, hp, strings & solo oboe
The work is in two movements: 'Kumari' and 'Tawaif.' For the first movement, 'Kumari,' Sungji Hong draws inspiration from Kumari, the Living Goddess of Nepal, crafting a deeply evocative musical journey. The movement begins with a quiet yet commanding entrance of the oboe after a grand tutti chord, delicately portraying Kumari's ethereal presence and inner strength. Poetic imagery evokes Kumari's ethereal beauty—eyelashes like a cow, thighs like a deer, voice as clear as a duck. As the music progresses, it intensifies, reflecting Kumari's divine power as the warrior goddess Durga. Amidst vibrant celebrations, the composition explores her poignant transition from divinity to humanity, culminating in a powerful confrontation marked by septuplets and thunderous double trills. Embedded within this musical exploration is the foundation of the Malahari scale, metaphorically termed a 'child scale' of Mayamalavagowla. Inspired by the life of a Kumari, a living child deity, the music seeks to connect the theme with the use of this scale.
In the second movement, 'Tawaif,' Hong draws inspiration from Raag Yaman to honor the cultural legacy of the tawaifs, known for their mastery of this raga. The music takes on a dance-like and pulsating tempo, structured as a passacaglia with its dynamic progression grounded in a repeating four-measure pattern. Colorful orchestration reminiscent of multi-colored fireworks enhances the passionate intensity, with fiery chords driving its dramatic harmony. Sungji Hong also pays homage to the tawaifs' influence on modern Indian music, including Bollywood, by incorporating a hint of melody from the song 'Nigahein Milane Ko Jee,' sung by Nutan in the film 'Dil Hi To Hai' (1963) from the Golden Era of Bollywood cinema.
Commissioned by Jung Choi through a generous grant from The University of North Texas, Silence for Oboe and Orchestra is dedicated with admiration to oboe virtuoso Jung Choi. The world premiere was given by oboist Jung Choi and the Greater Rochester Women's Philharmonic at the Glazer Music Performance Center in Rochester, New York, on May 5, 2024, under the direction of Nancy Pettersen Strelau.
Prismatic - Piano Concerto
2008, 15 mins - picc, fl, ob, cl, bcl, bn, hn, trp, trb, 2perc, hp, strings & piano
Prismatic, commissioned piece by the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra for the Unsuk Chin's 'Ars Nova' Series, was composed between June 2007 and August 2008 in Thessaloniki, Greece.
It lasts about 15 minutes and is scored for solo piano and 21 performers. It was first performed by the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra and pianist Sooyeon Lim under the direction of Roland Kluttig in Sejong Chamber Hall, Seoul on 25 October 2008.
Kiklos - Symphony Orchestra
2002, 15 mins - 3333, 4331, 3perc, timpani, pf/cel, strings
Kiklos was awarded to the First Prize at the International Competition for Original Ballet Music during ISCM World Music Days-Slovenia 2003.
Kiklos was composed between January and December 2002 in York, England. It was first performed as a ballet in October 2003 by the Slovenian National Theatre Opera & Ballet company under the direction of Conductor Dieter Rossberg and Choreographer, Stasa Zurovac at National Theatre 'Opera and Ballet' in Ljubljana, Slovenia. It lasts for 15 minutes.
Operatic Breaches - Symphony Orchestra
2012, 15 mins - 2222, 4231, 1perc, timpani, strings
Operatic Breaches was awarded to the First Prize at the IV Concurso Internacional Magistralia in 2012.
It was completed in June 2012 in Thessaloniki, Greece. It lasts for 13 minutes and is scored for symphony orchestra.
The inspiration for this piece is based on the poem Nocturne Vulgaire by Arthur Rimbaud. The title of the piece, Operatic Breaches, is from the very first line of the poem. “A breath opens operatic breaches in the walls” (“Un souffle ouvre des brèches opéradiques dans les cloisons”).