The Concordia University Irvine (CUI) Orchestra and Choir (hereinafter referred to as the Concordia Symphony Orchestra) will perform in Korea and Tokyo, Japan, from May 7 to 17, presenting religious choral works and orchestral masterpieces, aiming to provide emotional experiences as a venue for cultural exchange through music.

The Concordia University Irvine (CUI) Orchestra and Choir (hereinafter referred to as the Concordia Symphony Orchestra) will perform in Korea and Tokyo, Japan, from May 7 to 17, presenting religious choral works and orchestral masterpieces, aiming to provide emotional experiences as a venue for cultural exchange through music.

Under the direction of Dr. Jeff Held and Dr. Michael Busch, this tour schedule consists of diverse performances and cultural experiences. The first performance will take place on May 9 at the 30th anniversary concert of Central Christian Academy and Suwon Woncheon Baptist Church. A performance will follow on May 10 at 5 p.m. at KBS Hall. The concert will feature the Hansei University Concert Choir and Terua Choir, led by Professor Shin-Hwa Park, who has served as the chairperson of the Korean Church Music Concert Association, a conductor for the Ansan City Choir, and the dean of the Graduate School of Performing Arts at Ewha Womans University, and is currently a distinguished professor at Hansei University. After the performance at Cheonan Baekseok University on May 12, the group will move to Tokyo, where they will collaborate with the Keio University Wagner Society Orchestra at Setagaya Cultural Hall and perform with the Saitama Sakae High School Choir at Saitama City Cultural Center.

The repertoire for this tour is expected to provide a special experience to the audience. A representative song of Shin Joong-Hyun, a pioneer of Korean rock music, titled “Beautiful Rivers and Mountains,” will be newly arranged for choir and orchestra by Dr. Elliott Bark and will be premiered. Internationally renowned pieces will also be included, such as “Across the Stars” by John Williams (from Star Wars II), “The Olympic Spirit” (1988 Seoul Olympics), and “Hallelujah” by Ludwig van Beethoven (from Christ on the Mount of Olives). Additionally, Jonne Valtonen’s “Fantasy Overture (Circle Within a Circle)” and finale pieces from Disneyland and Studio Ghibli—“Fantasmic” by Bruce Healey, and “Hey Let’s Go” and “My Neighbor Totoro” by Joe Hisaishi, along with “It’s a Small World” by Robert & Richard Sherman—will be added, showcasing a variety of musical appeals.

The tour will be accompanied by Dr. Michael Thomas, the president, who is a professor and pianist at Concordia. Dr. HyeJung Shin, who will perform along with the group, noted, “The students and music professors are teaching and performing with one heart to praise God and give Him glory,” and added, “I hope this precious journey, which connects different cultures through education and music, will be a time of deep emotion and meaningful encounters for all of us.” All performances will be free of charge (for inquiries about tickets to the KBS Hall performance, email hyejung.shin@cui.edu).

Meanwhile, Concordia University, located about an hour away from Los Angeles, is a Lutheran private university founded by one of the founders who is Korean. One of the co-founders, Pastor Sang-Ik Moon, endured a dangerous journey during his childhood during the Korean War, struggling for survival at the age of 14. He later moved to the U.S. and obtained a Doctorate in Religious Sociology from Saint Louis University. In 1975, he received a mission from the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod to establish a new Christian college in the Western United States, laying the foundations for Concordia University Irvine. Thanks to Pastor Moon’s dedication, this college, which started as a theological seminary, has grown into a comprehensive university with more than 4,500 enrolled students. CUI aims to prepare wise and dignified leaders based on Christian faith to serve the world and the church.

[Photo] Concordia Symphony Orchestra

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