Sung Jin Hong, Artistic Director and Conductor

Hailed by The Village Voice as “a promising young conductor” and by The Korea Herald as “Creator of New York’s Hip Classical,” Sung Jin Hong is artistic director, conductor of and a composer for One World Symphony in New York City. Composer-Conductor Sung Jin Hong is the artistic director of One World Symphony. The New York Times described Hong’s From The Alchemist as transforming “a novel to a lush Mahlerian sound.” Mr. Hong’s upcoming composition commissions include a piano concerto for Lloyd Arriola and a symphonic poem for Ramakrishna-Vivekananda. His recent commissioned and performed symphonic works include Eye of the Storm (2010/2011) commissioned by West Village Concerts and Sidewalk Sketches (2010) commissioned by September Concert Foundation. His compositions have been performed at the New York International Fringe Festival, the central New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue, Bard College, and Palai Corbelli in Vienna, Austria.

Maestro Hong has always embraced the opportunities to creatively interact with audience members, no matter what their musical experience. In TimeOut New York’s review of One World Symphony’s production of The Cunning Little Vixen, Olivia Giovetti described Sung Jin Hong’s audience interaction: “The five-minute dissection of the love duet could easily be turned into a 30-minute preconcert talk by Hong. While he is incredibly knowledgeable, he is also passionate, which makes the experience all the more illuminating.”

At The Town Hall, Hong has inspired the sold-out audiences to be active performers in Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story, shared the magic of Stravinsky’s The Firebird through engaging musical demonstrations, and delighted his audiences with the performance of music from Star Wars with the thrilling collaboration with The New York Jedi. With the assistance of Hungry March Band, a full house of audience members danced, cheered, and performed in world premiere works in its popular Halloween concerts. Most recently, Hong’s world premiere composition Eye of the Storm invited the audience to perform with One World Symphony’s season opener in its 10th anniversary season. A passionate educator, Hong was awarded a grant from VH1’s Save the Music Foundation for his work at Harlem Children Zone’s The Promise Academy.

Hong’s guest conducting engagements include Lyrique-en-mer: Festival de Belle- Île in France; Stadt Wien Konservatorium in Vienna, Austria; Royal Northern Conservatory of Music in Manchester, UK; Tulsa Symphony; Tulsa Ballet; Manhattan School of Music Symphony; Mannes Orchestra; Manhattan Opera ensemble; Western Illinois University’s Cello Choir; Illinois Wesleyan University’s New Music Players; Bradley University’s Wind Ensemble; St. Gregory Singers; Peoria Player’s Theatre; and “Great Music for a Great City” in New York City. In Vienna, he served as Principal Conductor of the IES Singverein. Maestro Hong has also served as Music Director and Conductor of Peoria Sinfonietta, apprentice conductor at The Bard Music Festival, and assistant conductor of Twin Cities Ballet Company.

An advocate of performing music by living composers, Maestro Hong has conducted works by award-winning composers such as John Corigliano, George Crumb, Michael Daugherty, Harold Farberman, George Perle, Steve Reich, and Joan Tower. Committed to supporting up and coming composers, Hong has conducted numerous world premieres by Keith Bailey, Lisa Burke, Jason Candler, John Craven, James Cross, Kyle Gann, Charley Gerard, Peter Gilbert, Leonard Goldfine, Stanley Grill, Sean Hickey, Jihwan Kim, Masashi Mori, Takeshi Ota, and Margarita Zelenaia.

His opera-conducting credits with full orchestra include Tristan und Isolde, Dialogues of the Carmelites, The Cunning Little Vixen, Peter Grimes, Elektra, Salomé, Ariadne auf Naxos, Vanessa, Venus and Adonis, Cavalleria Rusticana, Dido and Aeneas, Giulio Cesare, Orfeo ed Euridice, Don Giovanni, Le Nozze di Figaro, Così fan tutte, La Clemenza di Tito, Die Zauberflöte, La Bohème, Gianni Schicci, Suor Angelica, Carmen, Samson et Dalila, Otello, Aïda, La Traviata, Falstaff, Il Trovatore, Hansel and Gretel, Eugene Onegin, Riders to the Sea, Die Fledermaus, The Merry Widow, West Side Story, and Knossos, a world premiere opera by James Cross.

Maestro Hong had the honor of being chosen by Kurt Masur to participate in a series of master classes and conduct in concert with Manhattan School of Music Symphony. In 2005 he made his international recording debut with classical music’s largest record label, Naxos, which made the Billboard Classical Chart on its very first week of release — a rarity in new music. In recent seasons, Hong led One World Symphony to sold-out concerts at New York City’s historic Town Hall produced by The Town Hall.

Adrienne Metzinger

Adrienne Metzinger is a founding member, graphic designer, managing director, and stage director of One World Symphony. TimeOut New York reviewed One World Symphony’s production of Janácek’s The Cunning Little Vixen: “Tempering some ingenuity with a sense of humor, stage director Adrienne Metzinger created a fanciful world evocative of the Bohemian woods. Dragonflies buzzed down one aisle while fox cubs scampered down another; a drunken schoolmaster found ample stumbling space, and a keen amount of tension was created when Vixen was shot.” The Salon reviewed her performance as a vocalist: “In a beautiful soprano, she [Ms. Metzinger] sang a legit-jazz version of Any Place I Hang My Hat is Home, and although she said she was new to the Cabaret world, she sang in this intimate setting like a pro.”

Ms. Metzinger had the honor of singing our National Anthem to begin New York City’s televised 2003 Veteran’s Day Parade as well as at a ceremony honoring Senator Hillary Clinton held by the United Spinal Association (formerly Eastern Paralyzed Veterans’ Association.). In June of 2003, she made her Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall debut singing the music of Kurt Weill in a benefit concert for the American Red Cross.

Ms. Metzinger has made numerous appearances in One World Symphony’s opera productions: Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde (Brangäne), Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites (First Prioress), Johann Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus (Orlofsky), Barber’s Vanessa (The Baroness), Richard Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos (Dryade) and Elektra (Clytemnestra’s Trainbearer), Verdi’sOtello (Emilia), Janácek’s The Cunning Little Vixen (Forester’s Wife, Dog), Tchaikovsky’sEugene Onegin (Larina), and Handel’sGiulio Cesare (Cornelia). Her solo concert repertoire with One World Symphony include Berlioz’s Les Nuits d’Été, Britten’s Ceremony of Carols, Bach’s Magnificat, and Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Her opera performance credits with various organizations in the New York region include Mercedes (Carmen), Lola (Cavalleria Rusticana), Prince Orlofsky (Die Fledermaus), Flora and Annina (La Traviata), Peep-Bo (The Mikado), Countess Ceprano (Rigoletto), Kate (Madama Butterfly), The Sandman/Dew Fairy (Hansel and Gretel), and Kate (Ballad of Baby Doe) as well as Barbarina (Le Nozze di Figaro). Ms. Metzinger has also performed world premiere works by Kyle Gann (orchestrated by Sung Jin Hong), Joan Dawidziak and a piece written for her by New York composer Stan Grill for soprano, harp, and cello based on poems by John McKenzie.

Ms. Metzinger is Design Director of Stan Adler Associates in Manhattan. She also designs all posters and marketing materials for One World Symphony.