Esther Yoo – Artistic Director, Honolulu Symphony Chorus

Esther S. Yoo is the Artistic Director of the O'ahu Choral Society and Principal Chorus Conductor of the Honolulu Symphony. A native of Toronto, Canada, she holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Conducting from the College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati. She received her undergraduate degree in Music Education and a Master's degree in Conducting, both from the University of Toronto studying with Raffi Armenien and Doreen Rao. In addition Dr. Yoo graduated with an Artist Diploma in piano from the Hochschule für Musik in Munich and has studied extensively with Russian pianist Vera Gornostaeva. As a pianist, she has appeared in festivals and masterclasses in France, Austria and Switzerland and has given recitals in Germany, France and Italy. As a conductor, Dr. Yoo was invited as a conducting fellow at the Oregon Bach Festival and Toronto Bach Festival with Maestro Helmuth Rilling. She has also participated in conducting masterclasses with Robert Shaw, Sir David Willcocks, Harry Christophers, Stephen Darlington and Dale Warland.

Esther Yoo brings professional choral singing experience having sung under the batons of Robert Shaw, James Levine, James Conlon and Helmuth Rilling, among others. A versatile conductor, she has worked extensively with numerous children’s and high school choirs, community/church choirs and student orchestras, including Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, University of Toronto Women’s Chorus, Blue Ash Presbyterian Church and Belvoir Terrace Orchestra. A recipient of the prestigious Elmer Iseler Scholarship at the University of Toronto, Yoo also conducted professional performances with Canada’s professional chamber choir, The Elmer Iseler Singers. Equally at home teaching college students, Dr. Yoo has toured internationally with her choir at Hollins University. As an advocate for contemporary choral music, she has premiered new choral music at every opportunity, working with students and faculty at the University of Toronto, University of Cincinnati, and University of Hawaii Manoa. Most recently in May 2009, she commissioned and premiered a choral work on the life of Father Damien, a project supported by the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture of Honolulu.

Prior to her appointment with the Honolulu Symphony Chorus, Dr. Yoo previously held faculty positions as Director of Choral Studies at the University of Hawaii Manoa and at Hollins University in Virginia. Currently, she is also active as guest clinician and adjudicator and is the Music Director at Christ United Methodist Church. She also serves as President-Elect of the American Choral Director’s Association – Hawaii Chapter.

Honolulu Symphony Chorus • Oahu Choral Society
875 Waimanu Street, # 614 Honolulu, HI 96813
Tel: (808) 524-0815 ext. 257
Fax: (808) 589-2667
e-mail: oahuchoral@gmail.com