Dr. Riyehee Hong
Meet the Director of Music & the Arts
The multi-talented Riyehee Hong is the Director of Music and the Arts at the Philadelphia Cathedral, where she oversees all music and arts programming and plans the liturgies for both Cathedral worship and Episcopal Diocesan events. Because of her skill and engaging personality, she is in constant demand as a lecturer, liturgist, recitalist, accompanist and choral director.
As a featured organist, Riyehee has performed numerous concerts in the United States and Europe. Some highlights include the dedication organ recital at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Los Angeles, a featured appearance at ”La fête de la Pentecôte de Meaux” in France in 2007, and performing the complete “Art of the Fugue,” at the American Bach Society in 2002. That same year she celebrated the hundredth anniversary of Maurice Duruflé‘s birth by performing his complete organ works at Stanford University.
Riyehee has created and directed two groups, the Ensemble LeClair and Stainer Ensemble, dedicated to 17th and 18th century European chamber music. A highlight from numerous concerts performed in the U.S. and Europe was the Texas premier of Monteclair’s cantata “Pyrame et Thesbi,” Handel’s oratorio, “Il Trionfo del Tempo e della Verità,” and J.S. Bach’s “Cantata 201.” In her most recent ensemble, playfully titled - “SoRi” - Riyehee performs mainly violin concertos that she transcribed for the organ.
When not performing or directing, Dr. Hong teaches organ at the University of Pennsylvania. She has presented numerous lectures at professional conferences and written manuscripts accepted for academic publication. (See www.riyehee.com for a list of presentations and publications.)
Her educational background provides the ideal springboard for her current endeavors. She received a DMA from the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston, a Master of Music from Boston University , and a Master of Divinity, focused on liturgy and music, from Hanshin University in Seoul.
In addition to Riyehee’s numerous projects at the Cathedral this year and her teaching and performing schedule, this past April she presented a lecture and recital on French Classical and Post-Classical organ music for the southern New Jersey chapter of the American Guild of Organists. She will record Guillaume Lasceux’s newly discovered early organ works for Gothic Recording in 2011.
What makes Riyehee so in demand? More than just being talented, Riyehee provides energetic leadership and a contagious enthusiasm to any endeavor in which she’s involved. Both professional musicians and artists, along with volunteers from the congregation and community, relish the opportunity to work with her. Find out more at www.riyehee.com.
