Student Composition Competition Winner: Kristine Choi

We are pleased to announce our 2022-2023 Student Composition Competition Winner, Kristine Choi.

This season marks the second annual Student Composition Competition, in which Phoenix Chamber Choir invites undergraduate and graduate students of any age to submit an SATB choral work to be performed at a concert in the upcoming season. This season, we asked composers to write on the topic of “Love” and we are thrilled to share Kristine Choi’s winning piece, “Herdsman and Weaver,” at our concert “From Phoenix With Love” on February 11.

“Herdsman and Weaver” depicts an ancient Chinese tale through the use of Korean descriptive onomatopoeias. The story is of the hopeless and deep love of a couple separated by a curse that places them on opposite sides of the Milky Way (described as “Celestial River” in the story), with a chance to meet only once a year when the stars align. The song is set during their expected annual encounter. However, they realize their way is blocked by debris in the river, preventing them from meeting. The couple cry in heartbreak, but their weeping is heard by birds down on Earth. Moved by their love, the birds decide to fly up and together create a bridge for them to cross and meet. In each subsequent year during the couple’s annual encounter, the birds assemble to form this bridge of love to bring them together.

Kristine Choi is a classically trained pianist and a student enrolled in a dual degree in
Bachelor of Music and Education at University of British Columbia. She was the recipient of
numerous scholarships, including the Norah Mansell Music Scholarship, June Goldsmith
Scholarship in Music, and President’s Outstanding Graduate Award, to name a few. While
actively participating in piano competitions, she also sings in the UBC Choir and Vocal
Chamber and choir workshops. She gives back to her community through involvement in her church as a piano accompanist and singer, and in community wind ensembles as a flautist. Kristine holds a Piano Teaching Certification from the RCM, instructing piano and theory.

 

For concert tickets, please visit https://phoenixchoir.com/concerts