Tuesday, March 28, 2017
By GUY D’ASTOLFO
YOUNGSTOWN
The Dana Chorale is about to make history as the first Youngstown State University music ensemble to perform in Asia.
The vocal group, led by Prof. Hae-Jong Lee, will visit South Korea May 8-19, where it will perform in three joint concerts with university choirs in that country. The concerts will be at Sejong University, Seoul; Chungbuk National University in Cheongju; and Changwon National University in Changwon.
The chorale also will give informal church concerts in Busan and Changwon, and another at a high school in Incheon. Between performances, the 25 students and four faculty members making the trip will engage in cultural exchanges and sightseeing, said Lee.
Jim Tressel, president of YSU, praised the chorale at a press conference Monday. “Any time we want to create a little enthusiasm and spirit on campus, we just ask them to sing for us,” he said. “I marvel every time Hae-Jong conducts because he brings the best out of this group.”
At the press conference, the chorale sang several songs that it will perform on its trip.
Lee is a native of South Korea, but has lived in the United States for 32 years. He said the impetus for the trip came in April of last year, when the chorale sang for a Korean audience at a benefit concert in Chicago.
“There is a huge Korean population in Chicago,” he explained. The audience and media at that show were very impressed with the Dana Chorale, and urged Lee to visit Korea and perform a similar repertoire.
“Since then, I have been developing the Korea tour,” he said.
Like the Chicago concert, the program the chorale will sing on the trip will be split between Western songs – mainly spirituals and gospel music – and Korean songs.
Because the chorale will sing the Korean songs in that language, Lee has had to teach his students what the lyrics mean and how to properly pronounce the words.
Nathan Meyers, associate provost, international programs office of YSU, said the Korea trip will be “life-changing” for the students.
“It’s one of the key international accomplishments for YSU over the past year,” said Meyers. “This type of cultural contact is the gold ring of what we look for.”
The publicity and good will of the trip should help the university attract more students, and also will give it links to other universities and cultural organizations, he added.
Before the chorale embarks for Asia, it will give its final local concert of the school year at 7:30 p.m. Friday at St. Columba Cathedral, 159 W. Rayen Ave. The concert will be a preview of its Korean performances. Admission is free but an offering will be accepted to help fund the trip.
Here is the list of those who will make the trip:
Faculty: Hae-Jong Lee, conductor; Randall Goldberg, director of Dana School of Music; Misook Yun, soprano, faculty soloist; and Kathy Miller, accompanist.
The student list follows.
Soprano: Amanda Bertilacci, Niles; Kristina Clemons, Youngstown; Sara Eckenrode, Youngstown; Katy Howells, Baden, Pa.; Olivia Kochunas, Warren; Francesca Molinaro, Connellsville, Pa.; and Kortney Squibbs, Orwell.
Alto: Christina Aviles, Dunkirk, N.Y.; Kathleen Brown, Pittsburgh; Rebecca Enlow, Salem; Jordan Hazy, Zelienople, Pa.; Amanda Nottingham, Warren; Christina Russo, Hermitage, Pa.; and Erika Walker, Canfield.
Tenor: Victor Cardamone, Pittsburgh; Dante Colella, Wellsville; Sam Gregory, Pittsburgh; Emilio Santiago, Hermitage, Pa.; and Stephen West, Brunswick, GA.
Bass: Nicholas Hazelton, Grove City, Pa.; Andrew Gurdak, Cortland; Anthony Humphrey, New Castle, Pa.; Jared Liscinsky, Damascus, Md.; David Mouse, East Liverpool; and Jason Volovar, Poland.