Ah Young Hong

A “transfixing” (New Yorker) soprano of "fearlessness and consummate artistry" (Opera News), Ah Young Hong has interpreted a vast array of repertoire, ranging from the music of Monteverdi, Bach, Mozart, and Poulenc, to works of Shostakovich, Babbitt, Kurtág, and Haas. The New York Times praised Ms. Hong as "the opera's blazing, lone star,” The Chicago Tribune called her "absolutely riveting," and the Kronen Zeitung wrote "her stage presence, her soprano voice, her facial expressions...Breathtaking."

In high demand as a concert and chamber soloist, Ms. Hong has performed with violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Ensemble Phoenix Basel, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Camerata Bern, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, FLUX Quartet, the Netherland-based contemporary music group Ensemble Klang, Konzerthaus Berlin’s ensemble-in-residence, Ensemble unitedberlin, Ensemble Dal Niente, The Daedalus Quartet, Wiener KammerOrchester, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Charleston Symphony Orchestra, Phoenix Symphony Orchestra, Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia, and Tempesta di Mare, amongst others. She has also appeared as soloist with Wien Modern, Zeiträume Basel, Aldeburgh Music Festival, CalPerformances series, Seattle Symphony recital series, and Ojai Festival. In opera, Ms. Hong has premiered Michael Hersch's On the Threshold of Winter, a one woman opera, and Poppaeaas the title role. Other roles include the title role in Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea, Morgana in Handel's Alcina, Gilda in Verdi's Rigoletto, Fortuna and Minerva in Monteverdi's Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria, and Asteria in Handel's Tamerlano. She has also appeared with Opera Lafayette in Rebel and Francoeur's Zélindor, roi des Sylphes at the Rose Theater in Lincoln Center and as La Musique in Charpentier's Les Arts Florissants at the Kennedy Center.

A prolific recording artist, Ms. Hong recorded the American premiere of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Alles mit Gott und nichts ohn’ ihn, BWV 1127, for National Public Radio’s Performance Today. Other recordings include the world premiere of Rebel and Francoeur’s Zélindor, roi des Sylphes (Naxos), Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater (Peter Lee Music), and Sentirete una Canzonetta with Harmonious Blacksmith. Ms. Hong is a featured soloist in Ensemble Klang’s recording of Michael Hersch’s cortex and ankle. Early 2018 saw the commercial release of her debut solo CD on Innova Recordings featuring Milton Babbitt’s Philomel and Michael Hersch’s a breath upwards. Ms. Hong was hailed as “an important new soprano undaunted by difficult contemporary challenges” (The WholeNote), who gives “landmark performances of two landmark works” (Gapplegate Classical-Modern Music Review). Anticipated in the fall of 2022 is the release of Michael Hersch's the script of storms with BBC Symphony Orchestra on the New Focus label.

Ms. Hong currently serves as Associate Professor in the Vocal Studies Department at the Peabody Conservatory of The Johns Hopkins University.

Photo credit: Mike Maguire