The Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University

Soprano Ah Young Hong has been praised by The New York Times for her “lovely voice with round, soft low notes and a sugar-sweet top,” and The Washington Post described her voice as  “glistening and resilient.”  Her extensive concert work have included performances with Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Opera Lafayette, Concert Artists of Baltimore, The Annapolis Opera, Bay-Atlantic Symphony, The Lincoln Symphony Orchestra, the Magnolia Baroque Festival, and Harmonious Blacksmith.  In the summer of 2005, Ms. Hong made an American premiere recording of Johann Sebastian Bach’s newly discovered aria, Alles mit Gott und nichts ohn’ ihn, BWV 1127, for National Public Radio’s Performance Today with harpsichordist Joseph Gascho, director of Harmonious Blacksmith.  This recording has been broadcast throughout the world.

With Opera Vivente in Baltimore, Ms. Hong’s roles have included Morgana in Handel’s Alcina, Gilda in Verdi's Rigoletto, Asteria in Handel's Tamburlaine, and Minerva in Monteverdi’s The Return of Ulysses.  The Baltimore Sun acclaimed her role in Rigoletto as “a sympathetic Gilda, caressing Verdi’s melodic lines with considerable eloquence and warmth,” and IONARTS described her performance as Morgana having  “the most persuasive singing by merging musical wit with strong acting and facial expressions, all while showcasing superbly clear text and vocal agility.”  In England, she was Papagena in Die Zauberflöte under the direction of Benjamin Luxon, Fortuna and Minerva in Monteverdi's Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria under the musical direction of Michael Chance and director Tim Carroll for the Snape Proms and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.  Other roles have included Pamina in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Nannetta in Verdi’s Falstaff, Gretel in Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, and the title role in scenes from Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea.  In the fall of 2007, Ms. Hong made her debut with Opera Lafayette in Rebel and Francoeur’s Zélindor, roi des Sylphes, which the world premiere recording will be released in 2009 by Naxos.  

Ms. Hong received her Bachelor's and Master's of Music degrees from the Peabody Conservatory of Music where she studied with Ruth Drucker and Mark Markham.  She was honored to have studied German Lieder and French mélodie with Elly Ameling and oratorio with Kurt Equiluz at the Britten-Pears Programme in England.  Upcoming performances include Osvaldo Golijov’s Three Songs for Soprano and Orchestra with Columbia Orchestra, Handel’s Israel in Egypt with Baltimore Choral Arts Society, chamber concerts with Harmonious Blacksmith, Vivaldi’s Gloria with Folger Consort, and the title role of The Coronation of Poppea with Opera Vivente.  Ms. Hong is currently a member of the voice faculty at the Peabody Conservatory of Music of Johns Hopkins University and Towson University.