Heavenly Voice in the limelight as "Tebaldi in Asia"
"It takes much courage to leave hometown and settle in a new society leaving the hometown. I believe it would be again tough and devastating for North Koreans to live in South Korean society after escaping from sufferings and fear... Like the proverb, "darkest hour is that before the dawn," the darkest moment is your life means the bright time will soon come. Rather complaining and giving up, I hope you always remind yourselves that there is always hope around us even in the desparing situation.
- Message by Dr. Mihyun Kho to North Korean youth (Newsletter, "North Korean Human Rights, No. 142: February, 2010)
After graduating with honors from a conservatory in Australia, Miyhun Kho continued her studies at Sookmyung Women's University to get a Master's and then a Doctorate degree in singing. She has performed recitals in seven different countries with and for a variety of famous orchestras and continues enjoy a lively career abroad. She was the recipient of a number of accolades, such as the 2008 World Peace Culture and Art Grand Prize for vocalists; the 2008 award for Women in the Arts from the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism; the 2009 Australian Alumni Creative Arts Award; the Fourth Sejong Culture Award and an award of the Seoul Economics Newspaper at the Second Korean Opera Grand Prize. She is a currently a professor at the Seoul Art College.
She has been always passionate about helping other with her talent. In the opening ceremony of the Czech Info Center in 2009, she met Joanna Hosaniak (Head of Int'l Campaign & Cooperation, Citizens' Alliance for North Korean Human Rights) and was informed of the situation of North Korean children and their difficulties in adjusting in South Korean society. She empathized with us that Korean society should care and help for those children and joined our cause. In December 2009, she was appointed NKHR's Goodwill Ambassador and performed in the New Year benefit Concert for Life, Human Rights & Hope for North Korean refugee women and children in January, 2010. Her performance inspired others to become more aware of the situation of North Korean refugee women and children and to help them to seek safety. During the preparation of the concert, she said that, "Though one's help seems insignificant, it becomes very powerful when we come together for the matter we care like this concert. I hope to see many more to come forward to helping others." In 2010, she performed in Beautiful Dream Concert for North Korean youth in South Korea and continues to deliver her love to North Korean children.
¡¤ Bachelor of Music with Honors at the Australian Institute of Music, Australia
¡¤ Master of Music and Doctor of Music (Ph.D) at the Sookmyung Women's University, ROK
¡¤ Doctorial candidate of Musical Arts (DMA) by awarding Presidential Scholarship at the American Conservatory of Music, USA.
¡¤ The Juilliard School for the extension Studies, N.Y., USA
¡¤ Pescarese Accademia & Roma Arena Accademia for 3years diploma with perfect scores
¡¤ Donizetti Academy in Milan for intensivo perfezionamento.
¡¤ 2010 ARTIADA- World Artistic Committee Award
¡¤ 2009 The Federation of Artistic and Cultural Organizations of Korea Award
¡¤ 2009 Korean Opera Awards (Seoul Kyungjae Award)
¡¤ 2009 Australian Alumni Creative Arts Awards
¡¤ 2009 Cultural and Art Award
¡¤ 2008 Women of the Year Award
¡¤ 2008 World Peace Culture and Arts Grand Prize
¡¤ 2008 The Best Awards of year 2008 Musicians
¡¤ 2008 The 4th Sejong Musicians Award (KOREA)
She was a lecturer at the Sookmyung Women¡¯s University, Hansei University, Kyungmin University, Chongshin University and Kyewon Arts High School in Korea.
Currently, she is a Professor of the Seoul Arts College and the head of Voice Department in Korea, a representative of Australia Committee of ARTIADA, a goodwill Ambassador of Australian Embassy in ROK and Christian Television System and a judge of KBS children's singing contest show.
Date
Major Activities
Dec. 2010
Opera "La traviata" (Role: Violetta)
Nov. 2010
Concert for the Day of Aria
Aug. 2010
Sang National Anthem in the Ceremony of the 65th Commemoration of the Independence Day
Aug. 2010
Beautiful Dream Concert for North Korean youth in South Korea
Aug. 2010
Accompanied performance with National Police Symphony Orchestra, "Love Concert for the Autistic"
July 2010
Memorial Concert for the Celebration of 200th Anniversary of Indepence of Colombia
July 2010
Opera "Carmen" (Role: Micaela
June 2010
Accompanied performance with Ukraina National Orchestra
April 2010
"Magic Flute" Pamina in Spain
April 2010
Memorial Concert for the 20th Anniversary of Korea and Russia Ties
Mar. 2010
Korean Aria Festival Concert with Critic, Kyeseok Tak
Feb. 2010
Accompanied performance with Yalta Philharmonic Orchestra
Jan. 2010
"2010 Australia Day" Concert
Jan. 2010
2010 Opera Gala Concert
Jan. 2010
New Year benefit Concert for Life, Human Rights & Hope dedicated to the Assistance for Defected North Kkorean Women and Children
¡°Even in North Korea, I was not hungry, cold, nor poorly dressed. But one thing I realized is that people are not hungry only for food but also for art and culture. With basic needs fulfilled, one¡¯s freedom to pursue and express creative ideas allows a human being to enjoy life to the fullest. Up until now, in all honesty, I have lived a life centered on myself. From within North Korea, my sole motivation to leave behind everything was for the freedom to pursue my music. Now, unexpectedly, I have learnt something more in this free world. I learnt that this freedom to enjoy and pursue my artistic passion is not something privileged for certain people. I would like to dedicate my music to my fellow Koreans in our home town, for their human rights and liberty. I would like to make what little contribution I can to make reunification a reality for the Korean people.¡±
Pianist Cheol-woong Kim was appointed Goodwill Ambassador of Citizens¡¯ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights on July 12, 2006
Life for Mr. Cheol-woong Kim in North Korea was a privileged one and unimaginably prosperous compared to that of the majority of North Korean people. He was a piano prodigy, selected to enter Pyongyang Music and Dance College at the age of eight. After graduation he enrolled in Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow returning to Pyongyang as the first pianist of the Pyongyang Philharmonic Orchestra.
This life of his in North Korea was questioned by a Jazz melody Richard Clayderman¡¯s A Comme Amour. It left a remarkable impression after he first heard it at a cafe in Moscow. Being without liberty and freedom to play what he liked because jazz was labeled capitalistic decadent music in North Korea - he began to question the reason for this. The answer that rang deep inside his heart was to leave everything behind in exchange for the freedom to listen to and play the music he desired.
It was a journey prompted by the strong desire and will for musical freedom. The price he had to pay to get what he dreamt of was unbearably hard. In order to survive, not to starve to death or be arrested, he had to do anything. Wondering around in China, he had to endure what was beyond his imagination, so different from the life he had even in North Korea. A pianist¡¯s slender, flexible fingers are crucial, yet he even had to become a lumber jack which immediately thickened every joint of his fingers. To Cheol-woong, hunger and the fear of repatriation were nothing compared to the fear and lack of hope that he might never be able to play the piano or be a musician again. Two years passed by with nothing but the firm grip on hope. At last, in 2003 he entered South Korea
Having arrived in South Korea to the risk of his life, only dreaming of and pursuing freedom in playing the piano, he first distanced himself from any inter-Korean or human rights issues concerning North Korea. As he reflects, he recalls that his participation at the 7th International Conference on North Korean Human Rights and Refugees: ¡°North Korea: New Approaches¡±, co-organized by the Citizens¡¯ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights and the Rafto Human Rights House in May 2006 became another important turning point in his life.
Attending the human rights conference without having to speak a word about the human rights situation in North Korea but simply perform his rearranged North Korean £¼Arirang Sonata£¾, £¼Chosun is One>, £¼Don-dol-la-ri>
pieces in front of more than 500 participants across the world was so much more than he expected. With the applause and exclamations he received, he recalls that all the past sorrow and hardship swept through his heart at the same time mingled together with jubilation. He was also very moved and surprised by the fact that so many people cared for the human rights of other people that they did not know personally.
Finally after much thought, he decided to support the North Korean human rights movement in whatever way he could as a pianist and made a special bond with the Citizens¡¯ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights after he was officially appointed a Goodwill ambassador. In his appointment ceremony he emphasized that he will express through his music the importance of freedom and human rights. ¡°Since music has the power to move people¡¯s minds, I would like to support this movement by raising interests and funds from the public by playing the piano¡± were Cheol-woong¡¯s strong will to participate.
Since his appointment in July 2006, he has so far participated as a volunteer at the HanGyoReh Seasonal School to encourage the young children from North Korea, and invited them to his fund-raising concerts. His participation at the 7th conference in Norway spread his story as a pianist and defector from North Korea, and he was invited as the only Asian musician to participate at the International Jazz Festival held in Melbourne Australia in May 2007.
Making a good opportunity out of the publicity in Australia, he toured around Korean churches in Australia to profess his faith and raise funds for North Korean Youth development programs. Through this occasion, in one month¡¯s time 13,000 AUD was raised and entrusted to our organization. In August 2007, he also participated in the <Beautiful Concert to Raise Funds for North Korean Youth Development> which was co-organized by the Citizens¡¯ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights and the Beautiful Mind, co-sponsored by Ewha Womans¡¯ University Reunification Research Institute and Korean University Graduate School of International Studies. NKHR is also very grateful for Cheol-woong¡¯s activities and efforts as a Goodwill Ambassador for the cause of raising more involvement from the public on the North Korean human rights movement.
Please keep up with our Goodwill Ambassador Cheol-woong Kim¡¯s concerts and sponsor us for North Korean Defector Youth Development programs. Thank you
¡¤ Selected for preparatory piano department, Pyongyang Music and Dance College, 1981
¡¤ Graduated as the top pianist, Pyongyang Music and Dance College, 1995
¡¤ Attended Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow, 1995~1999
¡¤ First pianist for Pyongyang Philharmonic Orchestra, 1999~2001
¡¤ Defected North Korea and finally arrived in South Korea 2001~2003
¡¤ Lectured at the piano department, Hansei University, Korea 2003~present
¡¤ Enrolled in Master¡¯s Program, University of North Korean Studies, Seoul 2005~present
¡¤ Rearranged
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