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The Korean-born choral conductor, baritone and music pedagogue, Jong-Won Park (Korean: 박종원 ), obtained his Bachelor of Music degree in Voice Performance from Yon-Sei University in Seoul, Korea; his Master of Music degree in Voice Performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music; his Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from Cleveland State University (1986-1988); and his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting from Michigan State University (1988-1991). He studied voice under Ethel Armeling, Ivrin Bushmann, and studied conducting under Charles Smith.
As a baritone singer, Jong-Won Park appeared as a recitalist and soloist in many performances of Oratorio and Mass. He has frequently sung with Robert Shaw (conductor), including performances with the "Robert Shaw Festival Singers" at Souillac in France 1990 and the concerts at Carnegie Hall in 1991 and 1992. He has guest conducted several professional choirs in Korea such as Seoul City Choir, Seoul Ladies Singers, Chon-Ahn City Chorus, Chejoo Concert Choir, and Seoul Metropolitan Chorus (2022). He is a founder of the Atlanta Master Chorale, a community chorus, and the JW Chorale, which is a semi-professional female choir. Also, he was a co-founder of Sonorium, and early music ensemble comprised of a small vocal ensemble and an instrumental group.
Jong-Won Park has served as Associate Director of Choral Activities at Auburn University in Alabama (September 1992-May 1995), where he taught voice lessons, and directed Men and Women's Choir; Professor of Music at Yon-Sei University in Seoul, Korea (September 1995-May 2001), where he taught conducting, snd directed Concert Choir, Symphonic Choir; Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne in Indiana (IPFW) (2001-2003); and Associate Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls (UWRF) (since September 2001), where he directed the UWRF Concert Choir, the Chamber Singers, and taught private voice lessons, vocal pedagogy. Currently he is Director of Seoul Metropolitan Chorus & Children’s Chorus (since February 2022).
An active lecturer and clinician, Jong-Won Park has also given over 50 presentations workshops with topics including Group Vocal Techniques and Choral Rehearsal Techniques throughout the USA, Korea and Japan. He has presented his lecture, "Breathing Without Breathing: Incorporating Tai Chi into Choral Warm-ups", at the ACDA Regional Convention in 2008 and the Wisconsin Music Educator's Association Conference in 2007. His article on the same topic was published in the ACDA Choral Journal in February of 2009. He is an active member of The American Choral Directors Association and the National Association of Teachers of Singing. He has also published numerous choral music books under Choral 21. Recently, he founded the group, JW Chorale, in Seoul, Korea, which is a festival choir that rehearses for two weeks and perform in July. In addition, he formed a female semi-professional choir composed of selected UWRF students and alumni called the Lumina Cantorum.
Under the direction of Jong-Won Park, the UWRF Concert Choir has been privileged to perform at the American Choral Director's Association (ACDA) Regional Convention in 2008, the Wisconsin Choral Director's Association Conference, and the Wisconsin Music Educators' Association Conference in 2004. Under his direction, the Concert Choir was awarded the top prize at WMEA (Wisconsin Music Educators Association). The choir has two CDs complied - one titled, "Jubilate Deo", and the other called "Water Night". Recently, the University of Wisconsin - River Falls Concert Choir performed at the NCACDA (North Central Division ACDA) Convention in Fargo, ND under the his direction. |
