ALICE CHUNG, mezzo-soprano &
HELEN ZHIBING HUANG, soprano, SongFest alumna ‘17
SongFest is Proud to present the words of Helen Zhibing Huang, soprano and Alice Chung, mezzo soprano. Both Ms. Huang and Ms. Chung are performers committed to recital work and we are particularly proud of their contributions in advancing Asian culture through the arts and as co-founders of Wear Yellow Proudly.
What will the Legacy of the 21st Century be for Art Song?
Wear Yellow Proudly was created in 2020 as a response to the increasing amount of xenophobia towards Asians across the globe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Wear Yellow Proudly aims to bring awareness to Asian culture through music, art, education, as well as the daily lives of Asian artists. It showcases curated performances of music and poetry, hosts panel discussions, and celebrates the skills of Asian artists. The initiative hopes to strengthen the ties within the global community during the pandemic and beyond.
In the past year, using our digital platform, WYP showcased over 60 Asian artists and their work, collaborated with 4 different organizations, hosted discussion panels on topics such as, mental health as an Asian artist, Asian-Black solidarity within the Black Lives Matter movement, the various generational identities of Asian-Americans, and the intersectionality of being Asian, queer, and an artist.
Wear Yellow Proudly is an initiative cultivated under the organization Aural Compass Projects. Aural Compass Projects is a non-profit music organization founded in 2019 that is dedicated to performing new and less-performed works. ACP strives to foster and develop a solid moral compass which guides our work in advancing towards equality and better representation in the arts.
Helen Zhibing Huang is a Chinese-born soprano with a wide range of musical interests. She has performed with organizations such as Portland Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Nashville Opera, Central City Opera, Naples Philharmonic, Ravinia Festival, and White Snake Projects.
In the 2020-2021 season, Miss Huang was set to reprise her role as Singa Loh in I Am a Dreamer Who No Longer Dreams with Resonance Works. Additionally, she participated in Carnegie Hall’s SongStudio program led by Renée Fleming. This summer, Miss Huang joins Opera Theatre Saint Louis as a Richard Gaddes Festival, and she returns to The Glimmerglass Festival as Pamina in The Magic Flute.
Miss Huang’s other operatic credits include Baby Doe in The Ballad of Baby Doe, Clorinda in La cenerentola, Amor in Orfeo ed Euridice, Serpetta in Mozart’s La finta giardiniera, La fée in Cendrillon, and Poppea in Agrippina. A strong advocate for new music, she has participated in workshops for new operas including Paola Prestini’s Gilgamesh, Julian Wachner’s REV. 23, and Leanna Kirchoff’s Friday After Friday.
Miss Huang holds degrees from the New England Conservatory, Bard Vocal Arts Program, the Eastman School of Music, and the University of Rochester (B.A. Economics). In her spare time, Miss Huang enjoys cooking and eating traditional Chinese dishes.
Helens discography includes a disc of Art Songs by Australian composer Aristea Mellos Songs for a day.
Recently the First Place winner of the Cooper-Bing Competition, Third Place in the Mildred Miller International Voice Competition, and District Winner and Regional Encouragement Winner in the Metropolitan National Council Auditions, Korean-American mezzo-soprano Alice Chung is rapidly being recognized for her "operatic tonal glamour" (Parterre).
This year, Ms. Chung returns to the Academy of Vocal Arts to complete her residency. In Spring 2022, she will be making her company and role debut at Hawaii Opera Theatre as Suzuki in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. She will then be heading back to the Bay Area to cover the role of Granny Jia in the Dream of the Red Chamber in San Francisco Opera’s co-production with the Hong Kong Arts Festival.Recognized as “a force of nature with a sound both powerful and appealing” by the San Francisco Classical Voice, Alice Chung has been performing on the operatic, concert, and recital stages from coast to coast. Currently residing in Philadelphia, Alice is a current Resident Artist with The Academy of Vocal Arts. During her time offstage, along with Wear Yellow proudly, Ms. Chung also works with The OmniARTS Foundation Inc., a non-profit dedicated to the cultivation of interdisciplinary art through new work commissions, arts education, and performance events.