Sumi Jo Donates US$10,000 To Unicef After Philippines Recital

"Korean soprano Sumi Jo held music lovers in the palm of her hand during her Manila debut at the Samsung Hall in SM Aura in Taguig City. Voice teachers, classical singers, choral directors, pianists, theater directors, students and voice enthusiasts had earlier filled up the hall, eager to listen to the Korean diva, the pride of Asia. The concert was presented by the Korean Cultural Center, Edsa Shangri-La and Steinway Boutique Manila for the benefit of victims of Typhoon 'Yolanda.' The diva performed a bouquet of operatic arias from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Contemporary eras; as well as classical, Korean folk and Broadway songs. She immediately revealed her vocal might with her opening song, Henry Bishop’s 'Lo, Here the Gentle Lark,' for which she got a thunderous applause from the audience. The voice is of world-class quality, unmistakably honed in the bel canto style of singing. 'Beautiful singing,” the literal translation of the style, emphasizes the voice as the most expressive element in singing, especially in opera. Through a rigorous honing of a dynamic technique, singers of the bel canto style effortlessly intone elegant, velvety melodic lines that are well-kept in the same passage. To bring out the innate beauty of the human voice is the chief concern of such a style so necessary to express the dramatic import of the musical piece....Sumi Jo presented a facsimile check of the P450,000 donation to Margaret Sheehan, chief field officer of Unicef. She deserves to be heard again in Manila!" [Source]