Conductor Cho Ik-hyun to discuss music education and social contribution

Conductor Cho Ik-hyun will appear on EBS FM's "Wednesday Guest Corner" on November 4 to discuss his music-based sharing initiatives and the upcoming 20th anniversary of Haengboknamu Plus. The Sejong University professor will share how his organization has supported children in protection facilities through scholarship programs and performance opportunities since 2007.

Conductor Cho Ik-hyun, who believes in the power of music to heal and share, will visit the EBS FM "Wednesday Guest Corner" segment of "Jung Kyung's Classic Classic" at 10:00 a.m. on November 4. Cho, a professor of choral conducting at Sejong University and the artistic director of Haengboknamu Plus, will discuss the motivations behind his music-based sharing initiatives, his long-standing social contribution activities, and his journey as a musician.

After graduating from Seoul National University with a major in composition theory and completing his graduate studies at the same institution, Cho earned a doctorate in choral conducting from the University of North Texas in the United States. During his studies in the U.S., he led musical activities within the local Korean community by founding several organizations, including the Dallas Chamber Orchestra, the Dallas Women's Choir, and the Dallas Korean Children's Choir. In recognition of these activities and his academic achievements, he was awarded the President's Award, given to one graduate among all students at the University of North Texas. Since returning to Korea, he has served as the permanent conductor for the Bucheon City Choir and the Yongin City Choir, as well as conducting various other domestic orchestras and choirs, and is currently training the next generation of musicians at Sejong University.

The broadcast will feature the story of Haengboknamu Plus, an organization that has used music to change the lives of children. Founded by Cho in 2007, Haengboknamu Plus provides scholarship programs, music education, and performance opportunities for children in child protection facilities and young adults preparing for independence. Through the Happy Tree Boys and Girls Choir and the Rainbow Box Orchestra, the organization provides children with opportunities to learn music and perform on stage, connecting the talent donations of musicians to acts of sharing.

For Cho, sharing through music has been a long-held philosophy. He will share an anecdote from his school days when he used the first-place prize money from a choral competition—won with a vocal ensemble he formed himself—to purchase 1,000 briquettes to donate to an orphanage. He will also discuss his transition from aspiring music critic to choral conductor and the meaning of sharing he discovered while supporting children's dreams through music. Additionally, he will share new plans for Haengboknamu Plus as it approaches its 20th anniversary next year, including a commemorative concert being prepared with soprano Sunhae Im and his aspirations to change children's futures through music, exploring how one person's music can become hope for someone's life.

The program will also feature musical selections chosen by Cho. Listeners will hear "Vilja Song" from Lehár's operetta "The Merry Widow" performed with soprano Kim Young-mi, "Fantasy and Variations on the Carnival of Venice" by Arban performed in collaboration with trumpeter Sung Jae-chang, and "Music Is Always by Your Side" by John Rutter. The broadcast will reflect the messages of sharing and hope conveyed through various works, ranging from performances by vocalists and instrumentalists he has worked with for a long time to pieces he has personally arranged and conducted.

Hosted by baritone Jung Kyung, EBS FM's "Jung Kyung's Classic Classic" airs daily from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and can be heard on EBS FM (104.5MHz in the metropolitan area), the EBS internet radio "Bandi," and the "Bandi" smartphone application.

Read the original (Korean)