Strings Attached Across the Pacific Program

Celebrating local dance, theatre and art in the

Dallas Arts District.

Hee Yun Kim Presents

STRINGS ATTACHED ACROSS THE PACIFIC May 10 - 11, 2025

THE THREE-ROW LEXUS TX

ROOM FOR THE ENTIRE CAST

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COMPOSER HEE YUN KIM PRESENTS

STRINGS ATTACHED ACROSS THE PACIFIC CREATIVE TEAM Hee Yun Kim – Composer Joel Olivas – Multimedia Designer Aaron Johansen – Lighting Designer

PERFORMERS Andy Lin – Erhu Sunghee Lee – Haegeum Grace Kang Wollett – Violin I Mia Detwiler – Violin II Rachel Li McDonald – Viola Hojung Kim – Cello

PROGRAM SCATTERED MINDS (2023) for String Quartet

MULTIFACETED (2011) for String Quartet U.S. Premiere

I. Prism II. Abyss III. Mist IV. Island INTERMISSION

CALLING OF THE WHALES (2025) for Erhu, Haegeum, and String Quartet World Premiere

I. The Blue II. Dawn of Departure III. Cory & Jean IV. Playful Current V. Shadow Below VI. Entangled Echoes VII. Starlit Night VIII. Storm Surge IX. Mystic Island X. Aqua Ball XI. Migration Reverie XII. Arrival at the Horizon

COMPOSER’S NOTE Strings Attached Across the Pacific is a multimedia concert that invites you to dive deep into the Pacific Ocean and embark on a journey where cultures, nature, and music converge. Featuring a unique ensemble of Korean haegeum, Chinese erhu, and Western string quartet, the program blends Eastern and Western musical traditions into a rich, evocative soundscape. Through ocean-inspired music, integrated electronic sound design, live-responsive visuals, and immersive lighting, the concert creates an experience that transports you beneath the waves.

PROGRAM NOTES Scattered Minds for string quartet Inspired by Gabor Maté’s book Scattered Minds, this piece follows the spontaneous flow of musical intuition as it emerged during the act of composing. Like drifting currents of thought, the music mirrors waves of consciousness—sometimes still, sometimes surging— carrying moments of joy, unease, sorrow, wonder, and quiet reflection.

These shifting emotional tides echo the natural pull and rhythm of the ocean.

Multifaceted for string quartet Through its four movements, this piece reflects different facets of the ocean: Prism captures the shimmer of light dancing across the surface; Abyss dives into the depths of the dark and unknown; Mist conjures the soft haze of a summer morning above the gentle swells; and Island stands apart—polytonal, witty, and a bit sarcastic, expressing solitude with bold individuality.

Calling of the Whales for erhu, haegeum, and string quartet Drawing from the hauntingly beautiful songs of humpback whales, this work tells the story of a curious pod off the California coast.

Rather than follow their usual migration route, they embark on a remarkable journey across the Pacific Ocean to Asia. Along the way, they encounter wonder, joy, discovery, and adversity—mirroring the vastness of both ocean and spirit.

CREATIVE TEAM BIOS Hee Yun Kim is a versatile composer whose works for orchestra, wind ensemble, chamber groups, chorus, and solo instruments have been performed worldwide.

A laureate of the Pablo Casals International Composition Competition, her music has been praised as “fully convincing” and “masterfully orchestrated” (La Lettre du Musicien, Paris).

After a long hiatus, she returned to composing in 2020. Her 2023 album Voyage Within aired on NPR stations nationwide. She holds composition degrees from Seoul National University, Penderecki Academy of Music in Kraków, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Joel Olivas is an interactive multimedia designer, video engineer, and production manager. Through light, sound, and projection, he strives to create performer-specific works that interact and manipulate the digital, social, and auditory environments in which they preside. An Elevator Project alumnus, his talent has been tapped by several immersive arts groups such as Meow Wolf, Artechouse, and Sweet Tooth Hotel. His work has been commissioned by festivals like ILLfest Music and Street Art Festival, Seismic, Soluna, So What?!

Music Festival, SXSW, and took him on tour with Creed for projection

mapping. As the founder of Amuze Studio, he produces installations for corporate trade shows such as CES Las Vegas. Outside of Amuze, Joel is currently the senior video engineer at The Bomb Factory in Dallas, Texas.

Aaron Johansen is a Dallas-based lighting designer for theater and live events, and he is thrilled to be a part of this production! His previous collaborations include Dallas Theater Center, Dallas Children’s Theater, Second Thought Theatre (Artistic Associate), Kitchen Dog Theater (Company Member), Theatre Three, Circle Theatre, Stage West, Uptown Players, Cry Havoc Theater Company, Cara Mía Theatre Co., and the Sweet Tooth Hotel art installation. Aaron is the resident lighting director for The Dallas Opera and also serves as the lighting director for the Drone Racing League, where he designs lighting for drone racecourses around the country. These races are broadcast on NBC Sports Network and various streaming platforms.

Follow his work on Instagram: @Famoustrendywizard. Enjoy the show!

PERFORMERS’ BIOS Andy Lin, Taiwanese-American violist and erhuist, is a dynamic performer specializing in both Western and Eastern instruments. Praised by The Strad and The New York Times, he has collaborated with Lang Lang, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, and top ensembles worldwide. Andy is the artistic director of New Asia Chamber Music Society and a sought-after soloist, chamber musician, and orchestra leader.

He has performed with prestigious orchestras, premiered numerous works, and made history as the only Juilliard musician to solo with the Juilliard Orchestra on both viola and erhu. His work bridges cultures, bringing classical and traditional music to global audiences.

Sunghee Lee is an artist renowned for her distinctive sound and mastery of haegeum, interpreting a wide range of repertoire from traditional Korean music to contemporary compositions. She has released notable albums such as The Singing Haegeum (2009) and The PAAN of Haegeum 2 (2019), establishing herself as an active soloist.

Lee has also explored Pungnyu, traditional Joseon classical music, with albums like Haegeum Pungnyu Gajeunhoesang (2020) and Haegeum Pungnyu II (2022). She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from Seoul National University and a Master’s degree from Korea National University of Arts. Currently, she serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Korean Music at Yeungnam University.

Grace Kang Wollett, Korean-American violinist, is the acting associate concertmaster of The Dallas Opera Orchestra and violinist of MAKE, a trio with clarinetist Danny Goldman and pianist Mikhail Berestnev. She began her studies in Nottingham, England, and moved to New York at fourteen to pursue her dream. Grace has performed internationally at venues such as The Royal Albert Hall, Carnegie Hall, and The Winspear Opera House. A passionate advocate for community engagement, she has toured Turkey, performed through Juilliard’s Gluck Fellowship, and taught in Jordan. She holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Juilliard and lives in Plano, Texas with her husband Scott and children Jonny, Maddie, and Lottie.

Mia Detwiler performs regularly as a soloist and chamber musician throughout the United States and abroad. An advocate for contemporary music, she has premiered over one hundred works and performed at international festivals including the Foro Internacional de Música Nueva Manuel Enríquez, New Music Gathering, Mise-en

Music Festival, University of Louisville New Music Festival, Days of New Music Tirana, and New Music on the Bayou. She is a founding member of Amorsima Trio and has also performed with Duo Chromatica, Ensemble Mise-en, Sounds Modern, and Ensemble75. She holds a DMA in Violin Performance with a minor in Contemporary Music from the University of North Texas and is currently Instructor of Violin at Texas Woman’s University.

Rachel Li McDonald made her PBS-broadcast debut at Carnegie Hall through From the Top: Live from Carnegie and has been an active performer and teacher across North America. She has appeared on KMZT Radio’s Sunday Live, and performed with the Colburn Honors Quartet, Encore Summer School for Strings, and the Heifetz International Institute. Rachel has soloed with the Thousand Oaks Philharmonic and performed in the Colburn Chamber Orchestra, Juilliard Orchestra, and Shepherd School of Music Orchestra. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from The Juilliard School, studying under Heidi Castleman and Misha Amory, and completed her Master’s at Rice University with James Dunham. She currently lives in Plano, Texas, with her husband and two children.

Hojung Kim is a celebrated Korean cellist, known for her expressive interpretations and technical mastery.

After winning numerous competitions in Korea, she continued her studies at the Universität Mozarteum in Salzburg, graduating mit ausgezeichnetem Erfolg, and later earned a Konzertexamen from the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln. She has served as principal cellist with both the Korean Symphony Orchestra and the Seoul Philharmonic, and she is currently a professor at Kyungpook National University. Performing 30 to 40 concerts annually, she appears regularly at major venues including

the Sejong Center and Seoul Arts Center. Recently, she gave recitals in Texas and performed with the Prestonwood Baptist Church Orchestra.

SPECIAL THANKS! To Hector Garcia and the entire Elevator Project team at the AT&T Performing Arts Center, and to the City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture, for their generous support in bringing this production to life.

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