Composer · Educator · Jazz Pianist
Gon Hwang
"Very Professional!"
"Interesting Third Streamer"
Bio
Gon Hwang
Sunggone Hwang 황성곤 黃聖坤
Composer Educator Jazz Pianist Associate Professor, Department of Performing Arts, Pai Chai University
Arts Building, Room Y505, Daejeon,
35345, Republic of Korea
+82-10-2531-1421
holofa@pcu.ac.kr
"I am trying to combine two different materials to create new music. I think now is the time to build a beautiful bridge! Even a bridge between serious music and pop music."
Dr. Sunggone Hwang was born in Busan, South Korea, and studied progressive composition in contemporary classical music at Seoul National University, the institution that produced world-renowned composers Isang Yun, Unsuk Chin, and Sukhi Kang. While Europe was being led by the powerful avant-garde stream of Boulez and Ligeti, jazz and popular music that had emerged in early twentieth-century America were also sweeping through society like a tidal wave. In this context, as he searched for a meaningful bridge between art music and popular music, he moved to the New England Conservatory in Boston, the first classical conservatory in the world to formally teach jazz. There he was influenced by jazz masters such as George Russell, Kent Schaphorst, and Bob Brookmeyer, and then continued his path at Boston University, where he was further shaped by legendary composer Lukas Foss and earned his doctoral degree. In Boston, he presented works including Chamber Piano Concerto ("Cosmopoleans Concerto") with ALEA III and remained active as a composer. He returned to Korea in 2011 and has continued building bridges between contemporary classical music and jazz, and between artistic and popular traditions. In 2018, he was appointed professor at Pai Chai University in Daejeon, a university with a 150-year history, where he continues his work today.
Schools
USA Boston University Composition Doctor
USA Boston New England Conservatory Jazz Master
Seoul National University Composition Master
Seoul National University Composition Bachelor
Awards
2014 33rd Korean Composition Prize — Presented by Korea Music Association (Incorporated Association)
Dissertations
2010 Doctor: A Study on the Styles of orchestrations
2000 Master: The Characteristics of Jazz and the influences on the contemporary music.
Teachers
Composition: Lukas Foss, Samuel Headrick, Richard Cornell, Michael Gandolfi, Sukhi Kang
Jazz: Ken Schapholst, Ben Schbendner
Bigband: Bob Brookmeyer
Teaching
2018-present Associate Professor, Department of Performing Arts, Pai Chai University
2016- Visiting Professor at University of Ulsan
2014-15 Visiting Professor (focused on lecture) at Chung-Ang University South Korea
2000-present Teaching as Adjunct professor in more than 10 universities.
Activity
Former vice president of Korean Jazz Music Association
Board Member, Daejeon Contemporary Music Association (DCMA), South Korea
Teaching Subjects
Music Appreciation
Music History
Ear-Training and Sight-Singing
Fugue
Tonal Harmony
16th-Century Style Counterpoint
18th-Century Style Counterpoint
Orchestration and Instrumentation
Contemporary Composition
Music Analysis
Set Theory
Jazz Composition and Arranging
Jazz Theory
Jazz Composition
Jazz Piano and Improvisation
Jazz History
Jazz Ensemble and Band Coaching
Computer Music and MIDI
Music Notation Software
Computer Programs
Music Notation: Finale, Sibelius
Sequencing: Cubase, Digital Performer
Sound Editing: Pro Tools, Sound Forge
Electronic Music: Max/MSP
Works
Contemporary Classical Music
2009 Korean Composers' Night — Premiere of Piano Sextet "Noble Savage"; performed by TIMF Ensemble, Yeongsan Art Hall
2015 — Noble Savage for Piano Sextet
2010 Young Composers Concert — Premiere of Piano Concerto "Cosmopoleans Concerto"; commissioned by Theodore Antoniou; performed by ALEA III Ensemble, Tsai Performance Center, Boston, USA
2010 First Solo Works Concert "Beyond Third Stream"; conducted by Dr. Gon Hwang, CFA Concert Hall, Boston, USA
2010 Korea Chamber Music Festival — Premiere of Piano Sextet "Noble Savage"; performed by Eclat Ensemble, conducted by Jinsoo Kim, Recital Hall, Seoul Arts Center
2011 Changak Society 53rd Anniversary Regular Concert — Premiere of "Sonare" for Violin and Piano; performed by Karien Ensemble, Recital Hall, Seoul Arts Center
2011 Sorimok 22nd Anniversary Regular Concert — Premiere of "Cliche for Piano, Double Bass and 2 Percussion"; conducted by Dr. Gon Hwang, Recital Hall, Seoul Arts Center
2015 — "Cliche" for Piano, Double Bass and 2 Percussion
2012 Arts Festival Dimension — Premiere of "Wimbo Diplos for Six Instruments"; performed by Dimension Ensemble, conducted by Dr. Gon Hwang, March 27
2012 Changak Society 54th Anniversary Regular Concert — Premiere of "Three Transformers for Marimba and Piano"; Recital Hall, Seoul Arts Center
2012 Commissioned performance by Ensemble Interactive Tokyo (Japan) — Premiere of "Wimbo Diplos for Six Instruments"; Vienna Hall, Fuchu-no-Mori Arts Theater, Tokyo, November 2
2011 — "Wimbo Diplos for Six Instruments" (world premiere); composed by Dr. Gon Hwang
2012 Sorimok Composers' Society 23rd Anniversary Regular Concert — Premiere of "Antiphonium for Piano and Live Electronics"; Mozart Hall, Seoul
2012 Changyeon Society 5th Regular Concert — World premiere of "Antonio Corea for Violin and Piano"; Small Hall, Nowon Arts Center
2013 — Three Songs on Poems by André Breton; composed by Dr. Gon Hwang
2021 — Three Songs on Poems by André Breton; composed by Dr. Gon Hwang; mezzo-soprano: Mi-so Kim; piano: Do-yeon Kim
2013 Opera Yun Dong-ju — World premiere; Contemporary Vocal Ensemble 12th Regular Concert, Sejong Center, M Theater, October 17, 7:30 PM
2014 Opera Yun Dong-ju — Osaka International Exchange Center, Japan, May 1–2
2014 Pas de Deux for Two Pianos — Chung-Ang University Art Center, June 13
Composer: Dr. Gon Hwang; piano (left): Lee Sun-hyeong; piano (right): Dr. Gon Hwang
2015 — Ensemble Theater, Seongnam Arts Center, South Korea — Piano (left): Min Eun-na (90% composed); Piano (right): Dr. Gon Hwang (90% improvisation); organized by Dr. Gon Hwang
2021 — Daejeon Contemporary Music Association Regular Concert; Daejeon Arts Center — Piano 1: Dr. Gon Hwang (99% improvisation); Piano 2: Min Eun-na (100% from score)
March 31, 2015 — Solo Works Concert "Close Encounter"; Seongnam Arts Center, Ensemble Theater
July 11, 2015 — Choir and orchestra performance of arrangements of Yun Dong-ju; Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, USA
2015 — "Spring" from Yun Dong-ju Cantata; composed by Dr. Gon Hwang
2015 — "Prelude" from Yun Dong-ju Cantata; composed by Dr. Gon Hwang
2015 — "Kyrie" for Electronics; composed by Dr. Gon Hwang
July 13, 2015 — Songo Game 2 for Vibraphone, Marimba and 2 Percussion; performed by Seoul Percussion Ensemble, IBK Chamber Hall, Seoul Arts Center
2020 — "Blueprint" for Piano Solo; composed by Dr. Gon Hwang
May 16, 2020 (Saturday) — Sonare for Violin and Piano; Yeongsan Art Hall
April 14, 2021 — Sonare for Violin and Piano; composed by Dr. Gon Hwang; Jae-rin Park (violin), A-reum Kim (piano); Recital Hall, Seoul Arts Center
October 27, 2021 — "Cantata for Ordinary People"; Uijeongbu Arts Center Grand Theater
March 8–10, 2024 — Opera "Wings of Yi Sang"; performed by Daejeon Opera Company, Daloreum Theater, National Theater of Korea
Jazz Music
2004 — "Jericho Fell Down!" for Big Band; performed by NEC Jazz Composers Orchestra, conducted by Dr. Gon Hwang, Boston, USA
2008 — Concerto for Piano; composed by Dr. Gon Hwang
December 28, 2018 — Solo concert "Jazz Meets Technology"; Dr. Gon Hwang with Jazz Trio DMG, Small Hall, Yeonjeong National Gugak Center
April 25, 2024 — Japan jazz concert "My Father The Sea The Island I"; Tedako Hall, Urasoe, Okinawa, Japan
April 24, 2025 — Japan jazz concert "My Father The Sea The Island II"; Tedako Hall, Urasoe, Okinawa, Japan
2013 — Gon Trio Vol.1 CD release (audio)
2018 — Jazz album "Glass Gem Game" release
2019 — Jazz Composition 1 audio release
Game Music
2015 — Music production for AXE (Nexon game); composed by Dr. Gon Hwang
Awards
2014 33rd Korean Composition Prize — Presented by Korea Music Association (Incorporated Association)
Books
2018 — Jazz Scales and Harmony; Dr. Gon Hwang, Hyundai Munhwa Publishing
2022 — Introduction to Practical Music; Dr. Gon Hwang, Hakjisa Publishing
2023 — Innovative Rhythm Study and Practice; Dr. Gon Hwang, Hakjisa Publishing
Talks
January 10, 2015 — Relevant Tones (U.S. classical music radio): broadcast featuring Wimbo Diplos and interview
2022 — KBS (Korea Broadcasting System) Classical Diary, An-Trio special: commentary by Dr. Gon Hwang