Gracias in Spanish means thank you. The music the Gracias Choir has the special power to chime people’s hearts.
This is because each member of the choir, one by one, sing with the heart of thankfulness they have received from God.
The Gracias Choir was founded in 2000 and has relentlessly pursued excellence in artistry of classical music, as well as emotional purification, education, and international fellowship through classical music. It was incorporated in 2013. Since then, in 2015, the Gracias Choir won the highest prize at the Marktoberdorf International Choral Competition in Germany.
The music of the Gracias Choir has the special power to comfort the hearts of the listeners and to change their sadness to joy. With the believe that music changes people’s hearts, the Gracias Choir has performed over 200 times in the last 20 years in numerous countries in world renowned venues, in front of presidents, kings, as well as in slums and run down neighborhoods. The Gracias Choir has spread comfort and hope into people’s hearts through vivid sounds and soul-echoing harmonies. The Gracias Choir continues to be loved by people all over the world.
The Gracias Choir performs in over 20 countries every year from the remotest places in Africa or the Caribbean, to the United States and Europe in order to bring comfort and dreams to the youth of the world and those who are living inside of difficulties and despair. As they see how people gain hope and happiness by listening to their music, the Gracias Choir is thankful and gains new strength.
We thank those who have shown their love to the Gracias Choir so that we can constantly grow and develop. We hope you will continue to strongly support us. Thank you.
Eunsook Park – Director of the Gracias Choir
“If the world can become warmer through our music, then we will sing anywhere, anytime.”
As youth issues and societal problems are on the rise, cultural arts are now playing a part in healing and solving the problems of the heart.
With the belief that classical music can change and heal people’s hearts, Gracias Choir is presenting joy and happiness through its activities to people around the world, and is contributing to the popularization of classical music.
First: To operate as a professional classical choir and orchestra.
Second: Hold regular concerts in order to foster the emotions of the youth, and to hold benefit concerts for the disadvantaged in society.
Third: Train musicians equipped with both ability and knowledge by running educational and other diverse programs.
Fourth: Contribute to the improvement of the level of classical music within Korea through performances overseas, as well as through interchange with musicians from other countries, institutions, and organizations.
Gracias Choir is implementing various programs including diverse performances, overseas exchange, and musician training, as well as free events and programs aimed at developing the next generation.
Every year, the Gracias Choir hold numerous concerts including the Svobodno Classic Concert with world-class musicians, recitals, Christmas Cantata Tour, invitation performances at the Youth World Culture Camp, and free outdoor concerts for the community.
Also, they perform charity concerts and promote non-governmental cultural exchange not only in the U.S. or Europe, but also Southeast Asia, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Africa.
The Gracias Choir possesses an extensive repertoire; from Renaissance to Modern, to the folk music and songs of numerous countries, to Sacred Music, which is the essence of choral music. Gracias Choir is incorporating all genres of famous choral music from around the world.
The Christmas Cantata is a performance that combines opera, musical, and choral stages in a way that the entire family can enjoy. We present a special time where one can end the year by meditating on the true meaning of Christmas with loved ones while listening to beautiful carols. 13 different cities in the United States have even designated a “Christmas Cantata Day”. This performance is truly receiving love from people all over the world.
This concert began with the intention of letting the general public throw away their stiff prejudice towards classical music and giving them an opportunity to become more familiar with it. World-class musicians are able to naturally guide their audiences to a feast of classical music through their pure passion and beautiful expression. In 2004, we invited Russia’s top musicians and began the first ‘Artist Concert’ performance. Now, every year in June we invite world-renowned musicians and perform this classic concert together with them.
One of Gracias Choir’s concert types in which choir members can perform in diverse ways not easily seen during main choral stages. This is through vocal recitals, solo recitals, duo concerts, and much more. As a sign of gratitude to domestic audiences in Korea who support the Choir in their travels abroad, the Choir spends their time in Korea from April to June touring different places and performing recitals in order to become closer with their domestic fans.
Gracias Choir is able to hold charitable concerts all over the world through the revenue and donations they receive through their performances. From free outdoor classical concerts in major cities across Korea, to visiting concerts, performances for the military, concerts for the disadvantaged, and free classical concerts around the world. The youth and the general public are receiving healing and hope within their hearts through music.
Every year the Gracias Choir is invited to perform at the World Camp, where the future leaders of the world are cultivated and countries can interchange with one another. The Choir performs at the Opening Ceremony, Closing Ceremony, and other major Camp programs, softening the hearts of the World Camp attendees as they interact with one another. They present diverse performances such as classical, a cappella, African and South American stages, and Korean folk songs, among others. As the Choir’s music changes many hearts, they are garnering the attention of the world media as a result.
The Gracias Choir carries out the role of a non-governmental cultural delegation to the governments and presidents of Paraguay, Ghana, Uganda, Swaziland, and many other countries by being invited to perform. Through major concerts and events around the world, special invitation performances, and through collaboration with world-class musicians, the Gracias Choir is moving the hearts of global citizens and receiving much love for it.
The Gracias Choir is preparing a diverse program in which practical and systematic education combine with musical knowledge in order to develop the abilities of performers and to train younger, upcoming musicians. With the goal of training sincere musicians who will lead the musical world, we provide the best education environment in which we can help the students’ potential and ability to develop to the highest level.
The Gracias Music Camp that was held annually in Korea has grown and turned into Gracias Music Festival, which will be held in this year of 2015 in New York, the capital of world’s art, in order to experience much wider and deeper world of music.
The Gracias Music Festival, which invites faculties from Saint Petersburg Conservatory in Russia and renowned musicians in New York, consists of Music Camp and Master Class.
The Music Camp provides the most essential and systematic education for all participants in their musical development.
A program where master artists of each majoring fields are invited to share their know-hows and sense of value. It is a beneficial time for performers to learn valuable lessons.
Every year through the donations and revenue, Gracias Choir carries out charitable concerts in Korea and overseas. Domestically, Gracias Choir is proactively holding free outdoor concerts, visiting performances, and through sponsorships they also perform for citizens in remote areas of the country where they do not have access to such music. These concerts aim to purify the emotions of the people as well as popularize classical music. Moreover, the Gracias Choir organized charitable concerts in New Orleans, a city devastated by a hurricane; Haiti, a country destroyed by an earthquake; and also many nations in Africa who struggle with endless civil wars, to heal the hearts of the people with music and plant hope inside of their hearts. In recognition of our efforts the mayor and the city council of New Orleans as well as the mayor of Delmas in Haiti presented us with Plaque of Appreciations.
The Gracias Choir performs music ranging from the a cappellas of composers Monteverdi, Bach, and Anton Bruckner to the choral masterpieces such as Vivaldi’s ‘Gloria’ and Handel’s ‘Messiah’ of the Baroque Era. The Choir also assimilates classical masterpieces of the Romantic Period such as Haydn’s ‘The Creation,’ Beethoven’s ‘Symphony 9 Chorus,’ and works by Mozart and Rachmaninoff. Gracias Choir’s music also includes famous classical opera songs and arias such as the ’Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves’ and ’Brindisi.’ The Gracias Choir possesses an extended genre of music ranging even further to musicals and light music. Local traditional songs, which express the beauty of each respective country, sung in their native languages is a special repertoire of the Gracias Choir that allows them to approach the international community more closely. More then anything else, the praise that comes from the heart of the choir members seeps deeply into the hearts of the audience and moves their souls.
From 2001 the Gracias Choir began producing music records. Their works include ‘Christams Cantata,’ ‘The Lamb of God,’ and also many beloved hymns and African a cappellas performed on stage were released in CD format. Also, in South America, a music record has been released and it has been very popular. Through the music videos ’Beauty and the Beast’ by soprano Jinyoung Park and Tenor Gyungsoo Park, ‘The Prayer’ by soprano Hyemi Choi, ‘Java Jive’ by the female vocal ensemble, and the documentary titled ‘Music of Gracias’ one can easily access real life scenes of the Choir online.