Grace Hong

NMS Oboe Faculty,
Plays with CSO and LA Opera

Professional

Grace Hong is an active soloist, chamber musician and orchestra player in Chicago area. She has played with the Chicago Symphony, LA Opera, Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, Rockford Symphony, Green Bay Symphony and many other professional ensembles, and is also a member of the MODE ensemble in Chicago. She had the honor to be part of the Chicago Symphony’s 2008 European Tour with maestro Bernard Haitink. Recently, Ms. Hong participated in Ring Festival LA, performing the complete Ring Cycle with the LA Opera. She joined Prairie Winds Quintet as a guest artist for their 2010 recital in British Columbia, and was recently was soloist with the Chicago Classical Philharmonic. Ms. Hong has appeared at the Colorado College music festival, Pacific Music Festival, and Festival Mozaic WinterMezzo Series in San Luis Obispo, CA and received a New Horizon Fellowship for three years at the Aspen Music festival.

Teaching

Grace Hong has eight years of teaching experience. Her students vary in age from elementary school to adults. Many of her students currently play in school orchestra or band, where they advance in their sections; others have been successful in auditions for ensembles such as CYSO and MYA. Grace’s teaching philosophy concentrates greatly on teaching the fundamentals of playing oboe and music. She strives to provide the right guidance to young students in order that they avoid bad habits. She wants to help students who may have developed improper playing technique to fix those problems and give them a chance to enjoy practicing and playing the oboe. Ms. Hong holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Oberlin conservatory, a Master of Music in Orchestral Studies from Roosevelt University and post graduate Performance Certificate from Depaul University. Her primary teachers have been John De Lancie, Louis Rosenblatt, James Caldwell, Robert Walters, Jelena Dirks and Eugene Izotov.