Duo Soriga

Josephine Lee, soprano
Hwayoung Shon, gayageum

Gangwon-do Arirang (강원도 아리랑) — Traditional Korean Folk Song, arranged by Hwayoung Shon
Premiere of this arrangement

Sae-taryeong (새타령) — Traditional Korean Folk Song, arranged by Hwayoung Shon
Premiere of this arrangement

Nanpa Hong Touch-Me-Not Flower (봉선화) poetry by Hyungjun Kim, arranged by Hwayoung Shon
Premiere of this arrangement

Hyogun Kym Welcome to Hangeul (웰컴 투 한글) arranged by Hwayoung Shon
Premiere of this arrangement

Hwayoung Shon Prologue (서시) poetry by Dongju Yun
World Premiere

Hwayoung Shon Mugunghwa: Red Light, Green Light (무궁화 꽃이 피었습니다)
World Premiere

Hwayoung Shon Will-o’-the-Wisp (도깨비불)
World Premiere

Hwayoung Shon Gumiho (구미호)
World Premiere

Duo Soriga unites soprano Josephine Lee and gayageum performer-composer Hwayoung Shon in an intimate dialogue between voice and Korean strings, blending masterful performance with exploratory sound to create poetic musical narratives across tradition and contemporary expression. Soriga is a creative fusion of the Korean words ‘Sori’ (voice/sound) and ‘Gayageum’, while also carrying the poetic nuance of “a beautiful sound blooms” in Korean. They weave together the profound resonance of the gayageum, an instrument that mirrors the depths of human emotion, with the clarity of the human voice into a single, unified breath. As Josephine’s lyrical narratives unfold alongside Hwayoung’s intricate and expansive melodies, the two voices respond with tenderness and precision, creating a distinctive and evocative musical dialogue.

Duo Soriga captures both the serene aesthetics and inner dynamism of Korean music, offering audiences a timeless resonance and intimate connection. This program by Duo Soriga features a collection of works composed and arranged by Hwayoung Shon, including four World Premieres and four Arrangement Premieres.

Josephine YoonGeong Lee is a Korean-born soprano praised by The New York Times for singing “with suave clarity.” A tenure-track member of the Regular Chorus of San Francisco Opera and winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions San
Francisco District, she has performed with San Francisco Symphony and Stanford Symphony Orchestra at Davies Symphony Hall, Herbst Theatre, and Bing Concert Hall. A Tanglewood Music Center Soprano Fellow and recipient of the Grace B. Jackson Prize, she holds a Doctoral degree in Voice from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. www.josephineleesoprano.com

Hwayoung Shon is a gayageum virtuoso and composer dedicated to bridging traditional Korean music with contemporary expression. She has performed as a soloist at Herbst Theatre, Stanford Live, and with the Santa Cruz Symphony, and her work has been recognized internationally by BBC World Service, The Guardian, and The Atlantic, with compositions featured at Klimahaus Bremerhaven, Pitt Rivers Museum Oxford, and the Korean Cultural Center, Washington D.C. Praised by the late director of the National Gugak Center as “a once-in-a-generation talent,” she continues to redefine the role of the gayageum on the global stage. www.hwayoungshon.com