Sojung Lee Hong has communicated her joy of music making with the Judson University community since 1998. Prior to coming to Judson, she studied at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with Professor Ian Hobson and earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance and Literature with a minor in Accompanying. During her doctoral studies, she was awarded the first prize at the Irene Tintner Piano Competition, which resulted in her performing solo and chamber recitals in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

Born in Seoul, Korea, she graduated from Seoul Arts High School and received both Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in Piano Performance from Seoul National University. In Korea, she has performed in such major venues as the Seoul Arts Center, Sejong Arts Center, and Hoam Arts Hall. In the U.S. she has appeared with the Valley Civic Orchestra, the Elgin Community College Civic Orchestra, the Judson University Community Orchestra, and the Germania Orchestra.

Dr. Hong has enjoyed her dual career as an educator and performer since she joined music faculty at Judson University. She was invited as a clinician at the conference of Illinois State Music Teachers Association held at Millikin University, Decatur, Illinois. She also taught and performed as a guest artist-teacher at the EumYoun Summer Piano Academy, Korea. As a church musician, she serves as the music director at West Alliance Church in Warrenville.

Dr. Hong received MA, BA from Seoul National University, Korea and DMA from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Yoonjoo Rachel Song began her music studies with Piano at the age of five.  In junior high school, she switched to the clarinet and was accepted into Seoul Arts High School where she began her studies to become a professional musician.
Upon graduation from high school, she entered Ehwa Women's University, where during her first year she was selected by her professors to perform the whole movement of Mozart's Clarinet Concerto with the Ehwa Orchestra.

After receiving her BM in Music from Ehwa, Ms. Song moved to Munich, Germany.
She was accepted into the class of Alois Brandhofer, Principal Clarinetist of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under Karajan, at the Universität Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, where she received her BM, graduating with honors after receiving the highest marks from the entire graduation panel.
Ms. Song continued her studies under Ulf Rodenhäuser, who was the Principal Clarinetist of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under Karajan, at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Münich, Germany, where she received her Masters and Doctorate in Music.

In 2001, while attending a Master Class held by Francois Benda at Ascona Ticino Musica in Switzerland, Mr. Benda recommended Ms. Song as a soloist for a concert in Locarno, Switzerland. Her performance drew praise from Flautist  Andras Adorjan, who was in the audience that night.

Ms. Song continued to perform on numerous stages in Austria, Germany and Switzerland as a soloist and as a guest clarinetist with the Starnberg Orchestra in Germany.
She also performed at a benefit concert conducted by Lorin Maazel in Munich.

After returning to Korea in 2003, Ms. Song performed with various chamber musicians, woodwind quintets and was a guest clarinetist with the Korean Symphony Orchestra and the Wonju and Suwon Symphony Orchestras.

Ms. Song held her first Korean solo recital at the Seoul Arts Center in 2005.  Before coming to Chicago in 2007, she was a member of the Seoul Clarinet Ensemble and the Prime Philharmonic Orchestra and taught clarinet at the Seoul University of Education.

In October, 2007, Ms. Song performed in her first Chicago concert as the guest principal clarinetist with the University Symphony Orchestra. The following month, she performed with other Seoul Arts High School Alumni at a benefit concert for the Salvation Army’s Annual Christmas Fundraiser.  Since then, Ms. Song has performed in various concerts, including “A Music Night of Oaxaca” and the “All Beethoven Concert”.

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Soprano Eunsil Ra Kim, born in Seoul, Korea, began playing piano at the age of five and taking voice lessons at age eleven. She received a bachelor’s degree in voice performance at Seoul National University. While she was studying at Seoul National University she was chosen as a soloist for ‘French Art Song Festival’ at The National Theatre of Korea and ‘American Art Song Festival’ at Seoul Arts Center. 

Eunsil Ra continued her music studies in Italy at the Academy Jupiter in Genoa and at the National Conservatory of Music, ‘Arrigo Boito’ of Parma majoring in voice and vocal education.  While she attended the conservatory, she performed as a soloist at “Pasqua” Concert at San Giovanni Basilica with the Parma Conservatory Orchestra. While she was active as an art song and oratorio soloist in Italy, her talent and training on keyboard led her to serve as an organist at Evangelic Methodist Church of Piacenza for six years and at Evangelic Methodist Church of Cremona for three years.

Since coming to the United States, she has performed as a soloist at the Chicago Voice Ensemble Concert and the Scholarship Benefit Concert for Korean Young Artists at North Shore Center for Performing Arts in Skokie. She was also a soloist of the oratorio Elijahperformed at Gospel Presbyterian Church in Schaumburg and Creationat Alliance Fellowship Church, Hoffman Estates. She served as a conductor of Korean YWCA Choir in Chicago. Currently, she serves as the conductor of Zion Choir and the Children’s Choir at Alliance Fellowship Church, Hoffman Estates, Illinois.

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