Heralded by singers and conductors as a "must have" for those interested in German art songs, Allerseelen is a one-of-a-kind compilation of songs by Johannes Brahms, Richard Strauss and Hugo Wolf for cello and piano. Listen and enjoy.

17 MP3 Songs
EASY LISTENING: Mature, CLASSICAL: Traditional



Details:
Robert Sang-Ung Choi was born in Chicago into a music-loving family. He began studying music at the age of three; first the violin and later, the piano and cello. His loving affection for music and exceptional musical talent became evident to his music teachers during his early ages. However, as a multi-talented person, it was only later in life that Sang-Ung decided music was a means to an end for his life. He finally discovered what he wanted to accomplish - his pursuit of the purity of sound, without any musical boundaries.
In 1989, after earning a Bachelor´s Degree in Cell Biology from the University of Michigan, Sang-Ung decided to turn away from the science, medicine and engineering world that lay before him in favour of a life in music. Pivotal in this decision was his 93-year-old piano teacher, Dr Blythe Owen, who taught him not only piano, but also to believe in his own musical instincts and ability.
For Sang-Ung, singing has always been the most important part of music-making; in 1986-89, he was actively performing with vocal jazz, men´s and mixed choir groups. Sang-Ung has studied voice with Charles Eversole, piano with John Owings and Zeyda Ruga Suzuki, and cello with Tom Rosenberg, Pamela Frame and Heidi Litschauer, earning music degrees from Indian University, the Eastman School of Music and the Salzburg Mozarteum.

During his years in Salzburg, Sang-Ung developed a pureness and clarity of tone and expression, which has brought him rave reviews and numerous performances as soloist, recitalist and chamber musician in Japan, North America and throughout Europe. Sang-Ung is also a member of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.

No Border. From Bach to Piazzolla, Jazz to Modern Music.
Sang-Ung´s interest in different types of music - jazz, tango, modern classical, traditional classical - is evident in his performance with various artists. His sheer breadth of projects included performance with drummer Ritchie Pratt for "Jazz in Honolulu"; Jazz at Leopoldskron featuring Afro-American Spirituals, Austrian Ensemble for New Music (ÖENM); fuegokoori: Cello meets Guitars, a collaboration with the Guitar Ensemble Konstanz; and Luigi the Barnyard Mouse, which features reading and performance of his own story and music.

"For me, music is an inspiration. I enjoy playing classical repertoire like the Bach Cello Suites, and at the same time, I´m thrilled when performing new repertoire and being able to improvise in a concert. With the cello, one can express emotional extremes, but if I had been born with a better voice, I would naturally be singing!"

His recent recordings include: "fuegokoori: Fire & Ice"; "Allerseelen"; and the Sonata-Concerto for Cello and Orchestra by Brahms. Recorded with American pianist Stan Ford, "Allerseelen" is a compilation of German art songs by Brahms, Wolf and Strauss that had long been special to Sang-Ung and that he adapted for cello and piano.