Judson music professor releases ‘Whispers from Heaven’ album

Submitted by Judson University

Judson University music professor Sojung Hong released a solo piano album titled, “Whispers from Heaven.” It includes 15 hymns and carols arranged by various composers.

“Whispers from Heaven” is available for purchase online at ebay.com or in the Judson University Bookstore for $15. All proceeds from the album sales will benefit the Judson University Choir’s international tour to China and South Korea scheduled for May 2013.

Korean-born pianist Sojung Lee Hong is an active soloist, collaborative pianist, professor and church musician. Hong holds her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Seoul National University magna cum laude and her doctoral degree in piano performance and literature from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her teaching areas at Judson University include applied lessons, class piano, piano literature, pedagogy, and history and practice of worship music. As director of the performance certificate in music program at Judson University, she organizes the annual scholarship benefit concert and raises funds to support talented students’ education.

She has performed concertos with Valley Civic Orchestra, North Shore Philharmonic Orchestra, Judson University Community Orchestra, and the former Elgin Community College Civic Orchestra. Currently, she is associate professor at Judson University and music director at West Alliance Church in Warrenville. She has helped to organize the Seoul National University Alumni benefit concerts, the Sejong Cultural Society benefit concerts and the Sejong Music Competition, and the charity concerts for Global Children Foundation and Food for the Hungry International.

In the past decade, notable public appearances range from a solo recital at Seoul Arts Center, a sacred music concert tour in South Korea, to a piano duo recital in New Jersey to a chamber music recital in Mexico.

In addition to her international appearances, she has given over a hundred chamber music recitals with a various range of repertoire at performing art centers, universities, public libraries, and senior residences in the Chicago area. She has given lecture recitals at conferences such as the College Music Society International Conference (2011), the College Music Society Regional Conference (2011), and the Conferences of Illinois State Music Teachers Association (2006, 2009). In her home country, she has taught as a guest artist at the Summer Piano Workshop of Suwon Women’s College and at the Eum-youn Summer Piano Academy since 2007.