Ansan City Choir Eng

ANSAN CITY CHOIR

Founded in 1995, Ansan City Choir is a professional group that is frequently called upon to represent the Republic of Korea on the international stage. They are famous for their unique chamber repertoire and various styles ranging from Renaissance, Classical to Contemporary. Under the direction of Dr. Shin-Hwa Park, the choir has maintained its distinct reputation by performing 51 major regular concerts, making numerous local appearances, and participating in the Korea Choral Festival and other international choral festivals of distinction.

The choir has raised fervent interest and receives a warm reception across the country. In August of 2002, the choir was selected by the International Federation of Choral Music (IFCM) as one of 22 best choral groups worldwide and was showcased in performance as part of the prestigious 6th World Choral Symposium in Minneapolis. This led to an invitation from the State of Montana to perform at Missoula’s 2006 International Choral Festival, where it gained the affections of thousands of listeners. In June of 2011, the choir sang in St. Peter’s Basilica upon invitation by the Papal court. They have showed the high level of Korean Choirs and Ansan City Choirs to not only natives but all visitors who have visited the Basilica during those periods.

The choir was deeply honored by the opportunity to perform for the 2012 Northwestern Division Conference of ACDA, which also featured the world-class Kammerchor Stuttgart, conducted by Frieder Bernius. In February 2015, Ansan City Choir was invited to ACDA National Conference as representing Korea, which was held in Salt Lake City, USA. The choir’s performance gave a deep impression to more than 5,000 choral conductors from worldwide. Through these successful concerts, Ansan City Choir has won the hearts of audiences and has truly established a reputation for excellence within the international choral community.

Dr. Shin-Hwa Park, conductor

Dr. Shin-Hwa Park is the conductor of Ansan City Choir, professor at Ewha Womans University, president of Korean Federation for Choral Music (KFCM), past president of the Korean Choral Directors Association (KCDA), director of the Ewha Chamber Choir and broadcasting host for FEBC-FM Christian radio. He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in church music and vocal music from Yonsei University in Seoul and his D.M.A. in Choral Conducting and Literature from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Dr. Park is one of the most invited choral conductors and clinicians in Korea. He has served as guest conductor of the National Chorus of Korea, Seoul Metropolitan Chorus, Busan City Choir, and many other ensembles. He also gives more than 40 lectures every year. Between 1996 and 2015 his choirs have produced 83 CDs.

ANSAN CITY CHOIR

Psalm 150

He also directs the Calvary Choir of Young-Nak Presbyterian Church, which consists of 150 choir members. Dr. Park was the first winner of the Ulrim grand prize in 2004, and received the Ansan Art Prize at the same year. The following year, he was selected as one of the best professors at Ewha Womans University, and in 2007, he was awarded Korean music prize. He is one of the most invited juror for choral competitions both at home and abroad. In 2011, He conducted Ansan City Choir by invitation in the Papal Court of the Vatican. His choir also performed at the 2012 ACDA Northwestern Division Convention in Seattle, Washington, and performed at the 2015 National Conference of ACDA in Salt Lake City, Utah.