Ensemble ARI
“Ari” is a Korean word with multiple meanings: big river, wisdom and beauty. Ensemble Ari is a group of Korean American musicians in the Bay Area who wants to share this quality with the community. Our mission is to bridge Korea and other communities through western instruments while honoring Korean history and culture.
Email ahnjean@berkeley dot EDU for future concerts.
Fall 2024 Concerts
Premiere of Laurie San Martin’s piece for gayageum and Ensemble ARI, funded by Barlows Endowment
10/27/2024, 3pm Saint Mary’s College
11/4/2024, 1pm San Francisco State University
11/6/2024 12pm Santa Clara University
Ensemble ARI’s 10th Anniversary Concert in Korea
6/28/2024 7:30 Ilshin Hall, Seoul, Korea
6/30/2024 3:00 Meg Hall, Osan, Korea
Review from Monthly Music
Preview from Korea Times
Ensemble ARI’s Home Concert (email ahnjean@berkeley dot EDU for private invitation)
Monday, 5/6, 11am Sausalito
Thursday, 6/6, 6pm Lafayette
ARI@ Epworth Concert Series
Sunday, 5/12, 4pm 1953 Hopkins St. Berkeley, CA
Members of Ensemble ARI
Sharon Lee Kim, Piano
San Francisco Bay Area native, Pianist Sharon Lee Kim is an active chamber musician, director, vocal coach, and instructor. She is a frequent recitalist and has performed and recorded throughout the nation and internationally. Ms. Kim joined the Saint Mary’s College Music Faculty in the fall of 2008. She is the Assistant Director and Accompanist of the internationally award-winning Saint Mary’s College Choirs, and the Assistant Director of the Faculty Chamber Sundays Series. Aside from teaching at the college, Sharon is the co-founding member of Duo Camaraderie together with flutist Laura Scarlata, and works at the SF Conservatory of Music, Crowden Music Center, and SF Girls Chorus. Sharon maintains a thriving private studio, teaching piano students and vocal coaching singers. Sharon holds degrees from UC Berkeley (BA) and New England Conservatory (MM and GD). Her primary teachers were Irma Vallecillo, Kayo Iwama, John Greer, Barbara Shearer, and Margret Elson. www.SharonLeeKim.com
Jiwon Evelyn Kwark, Violin
Jiwon Evelyn Kwark holds a bachelor’s degree from The Juilliard School, a master’s from Yale School of Music, and Professional Studies from Manhattan School of Music in the Orchestral Performance Program. Her primary teachers were Glenn Dicterow, Ani Kavafian, Masao Kawasaki, and Alexander Treger. Since making her solo debut with the Amabile Orchestra in Korea at the age of 9, Ms. Kwark has performed with numerous orchestras in the U.S. and Korea. She has toured Canada with the Young Orchestra of Americas as the associate concertmistress and toured the cities of Germany with the Penderecki Musik Academie Orchestra as the concertmistress and soloist of the orchestra under the baton of renowned composer, Maestro Penderecki. Ms. Kwark performs regularly as the Associate Principal Second Violinist of the Marin Symphony and violinist of Symphony Silicon Valley. She has also performed with the San Francisco Symphony, New World Symphony, and New Century Chamber Orchestra. www.jiwonevelynkwark.com
Heeguen Song, Violin
Native of South Korea, Heeguen Song is the associate Concertmaster of the SF Ballet Orchestra. Dr.Song is an active chamber musician and is a member of Beaubliss Quartet and Ensemble Ari. She has performed at Yale Chamber Music Society, Yellowbarn Music Festival, Taos Music Festival, and Banff Chamber Music Residency. Heeguen was invited to play at Osaka City Hall, Daejeon Chamber Music Festival, Beethoven institute at New School and City University of NY. Additionally Heeguen gave a solo debut recital at Weil Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall and had solo appearances with many orchestras such as SF Ballet Orchestra, Oberlin Orchestra, Rutgers Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble 212, and Camerata Academica de Merida. She was a prize winner at the Henryk Szeryng International Competition, Irving M Klein Competition, and Kingsville International Competition among others. Heeguen studied at Oberlin Conservatory, the Juilliard School, Yale School of music and Rutgers University under the direction of Almita Vamos, Masao Kawasaki, Peter Oundjian, and Arnold Steinhardt. https://www.sfballet.org/artist/heeguen-song/
Sarah Hong, Cello
Acclaimed by music critics as “free, warm and a very expressive” performer, cellist Sarah Hong was born in Seoul, Korea. She began studying cello at the age of six and was selected as most promising young cellist in the nation at the age of 16, with her performance broadcasted nationwide by KBS. She made her New York debut at Carnegie Hall as a winner of Artists International. Ms. Hong studied at the Juilliard School (B.M. & M.M.) and finished her artist certificate in chamber music at the SF Conservatory under the direction of Bonnie Hampton. Ms. Hong lives in Los Altos where she balances a busy career as a soloist, collaborative artist, and teacher. Currently, she is a cellist of Le Due Muse with pianist Makiko Ooka, Ensemble Ari, and San Francisco Cello Quartet. She teaches string orchestra at the King's Academy and cello sections at CYS and KAMSA youth orchestras. She has started the ‘Phos (φῶς)’ Benefit Concert Series to help support various non-profit organizations serving children all over the world in 2014. (www.cellistsarahhong.com)
Joowon Kang, Baritone
South Korean baritone Joo Won Kang continues to establish himself as one of the most talented baritones today, popular both with audience and critics.
A member of the Merola Opera Program, he was an Adler Fellow and sang with SF Opera, Los Angeles Opera, North Carolina Opera, Seattle Opera, Arizona Opera (Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia), Wolf Trap Opera and Opera Theatre of St. Louis (Germont in La Traviata). He will sing with The Metropolitan Opera next season.
He was the first-prize winner of Fort Worth Opera’s 2014 McCammon Voice Competition, which led to recital appearances both in Fort Worth and New York City. He has also garnered top prizes in such important vocal competitions as the Gerda Lissner International Competition, Opera Index Vocal Competition, Giulio Gari International Competition, Palm Beach International Competition, and the Ades Vocal Competition at Manhattan School of Music, as well as a Semi-Finalist placement in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.
Jean Ahn, Director/Composer
Born in Korea, Jean Ahn finished her B.A. and M.M. at Seoul National University and Ph.D. at UC Berkeley. Her creative output includes works ranging from solo instruments to full orchestra, as well as choral, dance and electroacoustic music. Jean was the finalist for 2018 & 2019 Women Composers Commissions by the League of American Orchestras and her music was performed by Oakland Symphony, Memphis Symphony, Berkeley Symphony, Earplay, Left Coast Ensemble, Volti, UC Davis Orchestra and more. She was featured at New Music Miami, New American Music Festival, Women Composers Conference (Australia), Aspen Music Festival, June in Buffalo, the Oregon Bach Festival, the Etchings Festival, IAWM Beijing Congress, SEAMUS and New York City Electronic Music Festival among others. She was the composer-in-residence with SF Choral Artists last season and she is currently working on a multimedia piano piece for New Arts Collaboration. Jean's music often brings Asian traditional elements into western music. Her “Folksong Revisited” for piano and voice/piano collections are the ongoing projects that show her vision to introduce Korean songs and techniques to professional performers in the US. She is a Lecturer at UC Berkeley and Music Director at CHIM Studio. www.jeanahn.com
Program
SHARED for violin and piano Belinda Reynolds
Heeguen Song, violin/ Susie Kim, piano
Sonata for Violin and Cello Maurice Ravel
The Fourth Movement: Vif, avec entrain
Jiwon Evelyn Kwark, violin/ Sarah Hong, cello
Nocturne & D’un matin de printemps for violin and piano Lili Boulanger
Heeguen Song, violin/ Susie Kim, piano
Footsteps for mutimedia Jean Ahn
Ting Luo, piano/ Jo Ho, video
Piano Trio in G Major Claude Debussy
Jiwon Evelyn Kwark, violin/ Sarah Hong, cello/ Susie Kim, piano
Upcoming Concerts
Fall 2024 ARI will premiere Laurie San Martin’s piece commissioned by ARI, funded by the Barlows Endowment Grant
Fall 2023 ARI will premiere Jungyoon Wie’s piece commissioned by ARI, funded by Intermusic SF.
Thursday, May 18, 2023 12:45pm ARI duo will perform at Lafayette- Orinda Presbyterian Church
Saturday, October 22, 2022, 5pm ARI will perform Brahms at Master Chorale Concert at New Life Church, Fremont.
Sunday, October 9, 2022, 12pm SF Music Day ARI will perform Brahms and music by California composers, Michael Lee and Belinda Reynolds
Saturday, September 24, 8pm @ Lafayette Library, collaboration with Lamorinda Arts Council
Saturday, September 10, 7pm@ St.Paul Epispocal Church ARI Duo
Sunday, August 14, 2022, 4pm @ Cathedral of St.Mary of the Assumption
Saturday, June 24, 2022, 7:30pm @ Sunset Music and Arts
Sunday, March 27, 2022, 4pm @ Cathedral of St.Mary of the Assumption
Sunday, November 7,2021, 4pm @ Caliope East Bay Music Series (1501 Washington Avenue, Albany CA 94706 )
https://www.calliope-ebma.org/mission-history
Sunday, September 5, 2021 4pm
ARI violinist Jiwon Evelyn Kwark and ARI cellist Sarah Hong will perform at St.Mary’s Cathedrahl
Friday, February 20, 2021 7pm
ARI DUO @ St.Paul’s Concert Series Online Streaming
Recent Concerts
Thursday, December 10, 2020 7pm
Celebrating Black Composers
Friday, September 25, 2020 7pm
Women Composers Concert @ Old First Concert
Sunday, April 26, 2020 4pm
Music at Epworth Online Concert
Saturday, February 29, 2020 7pm
Foothill Concert Series
Saturday, January 25th & Sunday, January 26, 2020 4pm
Covenant Chamber Concerts
Saturday, September 26, 2020 7pm
Music by Women Composers (funded by Intermusic SF and Korea Overseas Foundation)
Ensemble ARI with Roslyn Jones and Bay Area Vocal Academy
Sunset Music in Arts (postponed)
Ensemble ARI violinist Heeguen Song and Pianist Sharon Lee Kim
Sunday, April 26, 2020 4pm (postponed)
with violist Caroline Lee and haegeum master Sooyeon Lyuh
Saturday, September 28, 2019 7pm
Music in Los Altos
Sunday, September 22, 2019 2:30pm
Friends of Chamber Music, Stockton
Bach, Haydn, Stravinsky and Premiere of Michael Lee's new duo
Saturday, June 8, 2019 7pm
Brahms Meets the West @Art Share, L.A. Theater
Ensemble ARI's first L.A. tour! ARI will perform Brahms piano trio and premiere a new piece by Michael Lee.
Saturday, May 3, 2019 7pm
Concert at SF Zion Church
Collaboration with haeguem master Sooyeon Lyuh
Saturday, March 30, 2019 7pm
Ensemble ARI@Phos Benefit Concert, Foothill Congregational Church, Los Altos
Sunday, March 17, 2019 4pm
Ensemble ARI@Music at Old St.Hilary, Tiburon, CA
http://landmarkssociety.com/events/concerts/
Ensemble ARI Winter Concert "Musical Borrowing"
Saturday, January 12, 2019 7pm, St.Mark's Church, Orinda
Works by Bach, Cassadó, Bruno Ruviero and more
Saturday, November 11, 2018 7pm Ensemble ARI@St.Paul Concert Series
Thursday, November 9, 2018 12pm Ensemble ARI@UC Davis Noon Concert
Saturday, October 6, 2018 7pm Ensemble ARI@Foothill Presbyterian Church Concert Series
Saturday & Sunday, June 2&3 Ensemble ARI with Master Chorale
Friday, January 26th,2018 8pm St.Mary's College & Sunday, January 28th, 2018 7:30pm Foothill Presbyterian Church, San Jose
Ensemble ARI with Early Music Ensemble Calextone
September 10, 4pm Old First Concert
October 1, 4pm Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Lafayette
January 27 & 28 7pm Ensemble ARI Winter Concert video
January 27th, 2017, 7pm, Christ Church Berkeley
January 28th, 2017, 7pm, 600 Colorado Ave. Palo Alto, CA 94306
May 21 & 22, 2016 7pm Ensemble ARI with Master Chorale
January 30, 2016 7pm Ensemble ARI @Phos Concert Series
Sep 19, 2015 7pm. St. Mary’s College, Moraga
October 18th, 2014 7pm
Korean War Memorial Concert funded by Overseas Korean Foundation, Consulate of Korea and Korean War Memorial Foundation