With the famed World Vision Children’s Choir
The United Pharm hosts a year-end concert at the United Culture Foundation building behind Ritz-Carlton and Novotel hotels in Gangnam-gu, Seoul on Dec. 26, 2014 with the World Vision Korea Children’s Choir conducted by Heechurl Kim.
Part I (Korean Fantasy, arr. Lee, Hyun Chul)
Doraji Taryeong (traditional Korean folksong), Samulnori (Korean drum performance), Jindobuk dance (Jindo Drum Dance), Arirang (famous Korean folksong) and Gyeongbok Palace Taryeong.
A variety of other traditional Korean folk music numbers and dances will be performed to show the beauty of Korean folk arts. Starting with the solo
'Haegeum', a traditional Korean music instrument, this fantasy includes fan dances, percussion ensemble, drum dances, and beautiful folk songs.
Part II (Collection of famed foreign music)
Ambo Hato (arr. Augusto Espino): This song is an arrangement of rhythmical and joyful folk song from the Philippines. The repeated phrase 'Ambo Hato' lies at the base with beautiful melody on top of it.
Igsuu (arr, Jude B. Roldan): This fun and joyful folk song is from also the Philippines. This is about a life of Philippines folk village.
Siyahamba (arr. Donald Moore): This is a traditional folk song from South Africa, “We Are Marching in the Light of God'.
Molihua (arr. Lee Hyun-Chul): This is a beautiful arrangement of one of the most famous folk song in China. Singing the beauty of jasmine flower, popular in the southern Yangtze delta region of China.
Sambalele (arr. Eduado Lakschevitz): Latin America, especially Brazil is known as a country of Samba. This Brazil folk song 'Sambalele' is the most famous folk song with colorful rhythm and dance.
Les Champ-Elysees (Mike Deighan)
This is very famous chanson around the world singing the beauty and lively life of Champ-Elysees street in France.
The World Vision Korea Children’s Choir:
Throughout its 54-year history, various professional musicians have complimented the Children’s Choir, praising it as “Echoes of Heaven.” The choir’s achievement and quality have been proven with thousands of successful worldwide concerts.
World Vision Korea Children’s Choir has been bringing messages of hope and love to children around the world since 1960. After the Korean War, the World Vision organization brought aid from foreign sponsors to the country’s orphans and widows.
Founded by Rev. Dr. Bob Pierce, World Vision Korea Children’s Choir was formed by those helped by World Vision. Their mission was to sing about hope and love through Christ, and to seek more sponsorship.
After winning the highest award at the prestigious 'Let the Peoples Sing' competition organized by the BBC in 1978, World Vision Korea Children’s Choir has gained international fame. For 54 years, the Choir has sung to give hopes and loves to the hopeless and voiceless children around the world. The Choir has also performed combining traditions and fresh ideas to create the best choral music that is proud to be a role model in sharing peace, hope, and love.
Artistic Director Heechurl Kim:
Heechurl Kim studied choral conducting under worldly renowned conductor Hak Won Yoon in Chung-Ang University. In Georgia State University, he studied with Dr. John Heberlen, who was the president of ACDA. In 1993, Mr. Kim conducted Vancouver Chamber Choir in Eric Ericson Master Class as a representative of Asia in World Choral Symposium held in Canada. From 1995 to 1997, he joined Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus to sing with Robert Show, who was one of the best choral conductors in the world. He conducted Atlanta Korean Children's Choir and Atlanta Master Chorale, and he served as a president of Atlanta Korean Musician Association. From 1994 to 1997, while he was a visiting professor of Georgia Theological Seminary, he had served as a coordinator in 'Music and Worship Conference’ held by PCUSA. After returning to Korea in 1997, he had conducted many choirs, such as, World Vision Korea Children's Choir, Gwang-Myung City Women's Chorale, and Sung-Nam City Teacher's Choir. He also taught in Chung-Ang University. He also served as a board member of the Korean Church Music Association.
Currently, he is the conductor of Gwacheon City Women's Choir, which is the only professional women's choir in Korea.
Conductor Kim had concert tours in Manila, Philippine at the invitation of the Philippine Madrigal Singers in 2004.
The World Vision Korea Children’s Choir was invited by Vancouver to celebrate the Winter Olympic Games in 2009.
In 2004, Conductor Kim became an Artistic Director and Administrative Director of World Vision Korea Children's Choir. In 2009, he made a ?film called 'You and You' with World Vision Korea Children's Choir under director Je-Hyun Park, who is one of the famous movie directors in Korea. As an artistic director, he has been hosting International Children's Choir Festival every three years by inviting the most prestigious choirs from around the world to help the poor and devastated children in the world.
As an opening concert of 2007 ICCF, he conducted a contemporary piece 'Gana and Dara' composed by In-Sun Cho, a worldly renowned contemporary composer who served as a professor in Chung-Ang University. Conductor Kim made several CDs and DVDs, such as, 'Blessings,' 'Songs of Love,' and 'Winter Sonata.'