Tong-Soon Kwak
Tong-Soon Kwak was born in Seoul, Korea into a musical family. During her early student years, she won first prize at the Yonsei Piano Competition and following this, she studied organ at Yonsei University with her father Sang-Soo Kwak, well known as an organist and conductor. As a recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship she continued her studies in United States receiving the degrees of Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Michigan where she studied organ with Marilyn Mason and harpsichord with Edward Parmentier.

Professor Kwak has been a member of the faculty of the College of Music, Yonsei University in Seoul since 1987 and is currently Professor of organ, Chairman of Church Music Department and a Director of Music Research Institute. She is the organist of the University Chapel and at the Torch Centre where she is the artistic director of the annual Torch International Organ Academy and the organ concert series.

In 1998, Professor Kwak was elected President of the Korean Association of organists and in 2006 President of Church Music Research Society of Korea. She served on the jury for many prestigious international organ competitions as the Calgary, Odense, Erfurt, Musashino-Tokyo, Canadian International Organ Competition and in 2009 US Jordan competition , Russia Tariverdiev competition and since 2000 as one of the International Ambassadors for the St-Albans International Organ Competition (UK).

She has concertized extensively in Europe, US, Japan as well as Korea. Some of the places she performed includes Notre Dame and St. Clotilde (Paris), St. Remy de Provence, St. Stephen’s (Vienna), St. Benigne (Dijon), St. Michaelis (Hamburg), Johannes (Duseldorf), Santa Rita (Torino), Dom Kerk(Copenhagen), St.Michaelis Cathedrale(Brussel) ,Carl Nielsen Symphony Hall (Odense), University of Michigan, Arizona State University, Holy Cross College, St. Thomas Church (NYC), Fourth Presbyterian Church (Chicago), St. Alphonsus Church (Seattle), Shadyside Presbyterian Church (Pittsburgh), Broadway Baptist Church (Fortworth)… she was a featured recitalist for the University of Michigan’s International Organ Conference in 1999. She has appeared as soloist with KBS Korean National Symphony, Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, Odense symphony.

Ms. Kwak won the “Musician of the Month Award” from the Korean Music Pen Club. Her recording, “Great Organ Works” was released by KBS (Korean National Broadcasting System) as one of the series of “Korean Musicians of the Twenty-first Century”. She is currently represented by the Concert Artist Cooperative in US.

E mail: kwaktons@yonsei.ac.kr