This session introduces choral conductors to the vibrant and accessible music of Korean composers Hye-Young Cho and Hyo-Won Woo. Joined by panelists Dr. Yoojin Muhn and Dr. Jong-In Kim, the composers will guide attendees through selected works, sharing cultural context and practical rehearsal strategies for bringing these pieces to life. Participants will sing through several compositions, receiving sheet music and a comprehensive resource document to support programming Korean choral music with their own ensembles. This session proves that the rich traditions of Korean choral music are well within every choir’s reach.
One World, Two Traditions: How Korean Choral Music Is Within Your Choir’s Reach
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Jo-Michael Scheibe
Jo-Michael Scheibe is Professor Emeritus of Choral Music at the USC Thornton School of Music, where he chaired the Department of Choral and Sacred Music (2008-2020) and taught through 2022. He served as national president of ACDA (2011-2013) and as Western Region president. His ensembles have appeared at seven national ACDA conferences, NAfME, NCCO, and the World Choral Symposium (South Korea). He has collaborated with Luciano Pavarotti, José Carreras, Rolling Stones, Sir Elton John, the Eagles, and Kenny Loggins, and prepared choruses for Helmuth Rilling, Sir Colin Davis, and Michael Tilson Thomas. Recordings appear on Albany, Centaur, and NAXOS. His choral series is published internationally, and he co-edited Teaching Music Through Performance-Choir (Vols. 4-5). He was based at the Irish Institute for Music as a 2023-24 Fulbright Scholar.
Yoojin Muhn
Yoojin Muhn is director of choral activities at the University of Texas at San Antonio, where she leads the choral program, conducts the UTSA Chamber Singers, and teaches undergraduate and graduate conducting. She also serves as music director of the San Antonio Mastersingers, a 120-voice volunteer chorus. She recently conducted the Louisiana All-State Choir (LMEA, 2025) and has been invited to Carnegie Hall (2026) to conduct Fauré's Requiem with Manhattan Concert Productions. Her choirs have appeared at Carnegie Hall and the 2025 ACDA Conference, and the Chamber Singers were invited to the 2026 TMEA Convention. Prior roles include artistic director of the Tucson Masterworks Chorale and assistant conductor. She holds a DMA in choral music from USC, an MM in choral conducting from CCM, an MM in sacred music (Westminster), and a BA in Composition (Sookmyung, Seoul, South Korea).
Hyo-Won Woo
Hyo-Won Woo has emerged as a leading voice in contemporary choral music. Her innovative works blend traditional Korean elements with Western techniques, spanning unaccompanied choral pieces, large-scale cantatas, spatial music, and unique compositions exploring human connections. Woo has served as composer-in-residence for both the Seoul Ladies' Singers and the Incheon City Chorale under Hak-Won Yoon, paving a groundbreaking path for Korean choral music. Her works have been performed worldwide and at major events like National ACDA and the IFCM Choral Symposium. Woo has taught at Korean universities and the Chorus Center Academy in Seoul, was a visiting fellow at the University of Michigan, and is frequently invited as a jury member and conductor at international festivals. Her compositions are published by Walton Music, Hal Leonard, and the Seoul Chorus Center.
Jong-In Kim
Jong-In Kim is an internationally recognized choral conductor, educator, and arts administrator with experience in professional, academic, and community settings. He served as assistant conductor of the Incheon City Chorale and the National Chorus of Korea and has led workshops for music educators. He has appeared as a guest conductor with leading ensembles and taught at Yonsei University and Sungkyul University. He was assistant administrative director and Steering Committee member for the IFCM 10th World Symposium on Choral Music and served as director of the K-State Institute for Korean Choral Music at Kansas State University. Dr. Kim is music director of the Bridge Symphony Orchestra and Shine Community Chorus and senior editor for KCM Alliance. He is currently an assistant professor and director of choral activities at Georgia Central University.
Hye-Young Cho
Hye-Young Cho is a South Korean composer whose choral works are widely performed by professional and university choirs throughout Korea and internationally. In 2014 she was commissioned to compose Te Deum for the opening concert of the 10th World Symposium on Choral Music in Seoul. Her music has been presented at the 11th World Symposium on Choral Music in Barcelona (2017) and the ACDA National Conference in Cincinnati (2023). She has served as composer-in-residence for the Incheon City Chorale, the National Chorus of Korea, and the Ansan City Choir, and formerly served as president of the Korean Choral Composers Association. Cho's work explores the intersection of Korean poetic tradition and contemporary choral language, seeking a balance between cultural identity and global resonance.
