Jung Hee Choi


Jung Hee Choi is a South Korean-born artist and musician, based in New York City, working in video, performance, sound and multi-media installation. Since 1999, Choi has been a disciple of La Monte Young and Marian Zazeela in the study of music and art. Choi, with Young and Zazeela, is a founding member of The Just Alap Raga Ensemble, and has performed as vocalist with the ensemble since 2002.
Choi's work has been presented in the U.S., Europe and Asia, including FRAC Franche-Comté, France; Berliner Festspiele, Germany; Dia Art Foundation, Guggenheim Museum and MELA Foundation Dream Houses, NYC; FRESH Festival, Bangkok; and the Korea Experimental Arts Festival, Korea. The New York Times listed Choi’s Tonecycle for Blues performed by her Sundara All Star Band as one of The Best Classical Music Performances of 2017.

Work

Choi’s electroacoustic and modal improvisation ensemble, Sundara All Star Band was premiered in 2015 performing her Tonecycle for Blues Base 30 Hz, 2:3:7 Ensemble Version with 4:3 and 7:6 at Dia 15 VI 13 545 West 22 Street Dream House, Dia Art Foundation, New York. The members include La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, voices; Jon Catler, fretless guitar; Brad Catler, Hansford Rowe, fretless bass and Naren Budhkar, tabla. The New York Times listed Choi’s Tonecycle for Bluesas one of The Best Classical Music Performances of 2017, “Heard in its latest iteration, this October, the deep groove of the work’s slow-tempo ‘ektal vilampit’ section had a unique majesty. Heaving funk progressions from a fretless bass mingled with tabla percussion and sustained vocal tones of pristine calm.”
Choi has presented series of environmental compositions with video, evolving light-point patterns, drawing, incense, performance and sound involving the concept of “Manifest, Unmanifest”. She describes the work as a “synthesis of expression" that "collectively creates an intersubjective space as a unified continuum and emphasizes the totality of sense perceptions as a single unit to create a state of immersion.”
The New York Times described her environmental composition, Ahata Anahata, Manifest Unmanifest IX at Dia 15 VI 13 545 West 22 Street Dream House, as a work wherein,

Selected exhibitions and performances

2015
November 6, 14 and 20, 2015; The Just Alap Raga Ensemble, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela,
Jung Hee Choi, voices; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
performances, October 15 and 23, 2015, The Sundara All-Star Band; La Monte Young, Marian
Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, voices; Jon Catler, fretless guitar; Brad Catler, fretless bass; Naren
Budhkar, table, La Monte Young Marian Zazeela Jung Hee Choi Dia 15 VI 13 545 West 22
Street Dream House
, Dia Art Foundation, New York
20, 21 and 22; mixed media: black wrap with pinholes, translucent paper, and video; 23 ft x 14 ft.
Sound Environment, TONECYCLE BASE 30 HZ, 2:3:7, The Linear Superposition Of 77 Sine
Wave Frequencies Set In Ratios Based On The Harmonics 2, 3 And 7 Imperceptibly Ascending
Toward Fixed Frequencies And Then Descending Toward The Starting Frequencies, Infinitely
Revolving As In Circles, In Parallel And Various Rates Of Similar Motion To Create Continuous
Slow Phase Shift With Long Beat Cycles
; June 13, 2015 to October 24, 2015; La Monte Young
Marian Zazeela Jung Hee Choi Dia 15 VI 13 545 West 22 Street Dream House, Dia Art
Foundation, New York
June 13, 19 and 27, 2015; The Just Alap Raga Ensemble, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela,
Jung Hee Choi, voices; Naren Budhkar, tabla. Dia 15 VI 13 545 West 22 Street Dream House,
Dia Art Foundation, New York
2014
November 1, 8 and 15, 2014; The Just Alap Raga Ensemble, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela,
Jung Hee Choi, voices; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
Ahata Anahata, Manifest Unmanifest VIII; September 13 and 20, 2014; La Monte Young, Marian
Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, voices, sine wave frequencies. MELA Foundation Dream House, New
York
incense, 3D sound installation; Solo exhibition; August 21- September 20, 2014; MELA
Foundation Dream House, New York
June 7, 12 and 21, 2014; The Just Alap Raga Ensemble, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela,
Jung Hee Choi, voices; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
2013
Solo exhibition, August 15- September 14, 2013; MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
August 13 – 22, 2013; Thinking MEDIA III; Chungmu Art Hall Gallery, Seoul, Korea
June 1, 8 and 15, 2013; The Just Alap Raga Ensemble, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela,
Jung Hee Choi, voices; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
6 April – 25 August 2013, Des Mondes Possibles, FRAC Franche-Comté Cité des Arts, France
2012
November 3, 10, 17, 2012; The Just Alap Raga Ensemble, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela,
Jung Hee Choi, voices; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
Manifest Unmanifest VI; September 8, 15, 2012; La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee
Choi, voices, sine wave frequencies. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
Solo exhibition, August 23 – September 15, 2012, MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
June 16, 23, 30, 2012; The Just Alap Raga Ensemble, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung
Hee Choi, voices; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
April 1, 2012; MaerzMusik/Berliner Festspiele, Villa Elisabeth, Berlin, Germany
The Just Alap Raga Ensemble, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, voices; Naren
Budhkar, tabla; MaerzMusik/Berliner Festspiele, Berlin, Germany; March 19, 24, 31, 2012
ZKM, Karlsruhe, Germany; April 7, 2012
Kunst im Regenbogenstadl, Polling, Germany; April 14, 2012
2011
; Color , multimedia installations: video, drawing, sound, and live
performance; December 6, 2011 – January 20, 2012;
Resonant Bodies, ERBA de Besançon, France
October 29, November 6, 13, 2011. The Just Alap Raga Ensemble, La Monte Young, Marian
Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, voices; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, voices, sine wave frequencies. MELA
Foundation Dream House, New York
Composition 2006 #3 ; AUM ; Color ; Composition BD 2011
  1. 1; Composition BD 2011 #2, multimedia installations: video, drawing, sound; August 25 –
September 17, 2011. Solo exhibition, MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
GLOCAL Media Art Festival, Chungju, Korea
June 11, 18, 25, 2011; The Just Alap Raga Ensemble, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung
Hee Choi, voices; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
2010
13, 2010; The Just Alap Raga Ensemble, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi,
voices; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
video, sound; September 11–18, 2010; One and Three Quarters of an Inch, St. Cecilia’s Convent,
New York
; AUM ; Color ; Composition BD 2008 #1; Composition BD
2008 #2; Composition BD 2008 #4; Composition BD 2008 #5; Composition BD 2006 #2
,
multimedia installations: video, drawing, sound; August 21 – September 11, 2010. Solo
exhibition, MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
BITT Festival for the Arts, June 3 – 30, 2010; Konkuk Media Art Center, Chungju, Korea and
Gallery Artrang, Seoul, Korea
9th Korea Experimental Arts Festival, July 24 - August 1, 2010; Seoul Art Space Seogyo, Seoul,
Korea
19, 2010; The Just Alap Raga Ensemble, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi,
voices; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
2009
installation: video, sound
Faces & Facts: Korean Contemporary Art in New York, Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of
Korean Cultural Service; December 10, 2009 – February 19, 2010; Sylvia Wald and Po Kim Art
Gallery, New York
Alap Raga Ensemble, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, voices; Merce Cunningham
Memorial, Park Avenue Armory, New York
FRESH 2009 Festival of International Video Art and Short Films, December 18–20, 2009; CODE,
Bangkok
8th Korea Experimental Arts Festival, September 2009; Seoul, Korea
20, 2009;
The Just Alap Raga Ensemble, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, voices; Naren
Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
; AUM ; Color ; Composition BD 2008 #1; Composition BD
2008 #2; Composition BD 2008 #4; Composition BD 2008 #5; Composition BD 2006 #2
,
multimedia installations: video, drawing, sound
Solo exhibition, August 29 – September 19, 2009; MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
organized by Asia Society, New York
Mind exhibition, Guggenheim Museum, New York
ektal vilampit khayal set in Raga Yaman Kalyan, live performances; The Just Alap Raga
Ensemble, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, Da’ud Constant, voices; Jon Catler,
electric sustainer guitar; Charles Curtis, cello; Naren Budhkar, tabla. Dream House
in The Third Mind exhibition, Guggenheim Museum, New York
2008
Scope/Art Asia, December 2–6, 2008; Miami
Contemporary Art Fair New York, New York
2008; Raga Sundara, ektal vilampit khayal set in Raga Yaman Kalyan, live performances; The
Just Alap Raga Ensemble, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, Da’ud Constant,
voices; Jon Catler, electric sustainer guitar; Charles Curtis, cello; Naren Budhkar, tabla.
MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
Chuncheon International Mime Festival, May 2008; Chuncheon, Korea
Raga Sundara, ektal vilampit khayal set in Raga Yaman Kalyan; The Just Alap Raga Ensemble,
La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, Da’ud Constant, voices; Jon Catler, electric
sustainer guitar; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
2007
FRESH 2007 Festival of International Video Art and Short Films, December 2007, CODE,
Bangkok
with Jon Catler; Monkey Town, New York
Chuncheon International Mime Festival, June 2007; Chuncheon, Korea
ektal vilampit khayal set in Raga Yaman Kalyan, live performances; The Just Alap Raga
Ensemble, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, Da’ud Constant, voices; Jon Catler,
electric sustainer guitar; Charles Curtis, cello; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream
House
, New York
one-hundred and one spokes and where the illusion of the one springs from the other two,
Composition 2006 #3 ; Composition 2006 #4 ; Composition in the style of La
Monte Young’s 1960 sustained friction sounds
, multimedia installations: video, sound, drawing;
April 11 – 28, 2007. Solo exhibition, Tompkins Square Gallery, New York
2007; Raga Sundara, ektal vilampit khayal set in Raga Yaman Kalyan, live performances; The
Just Alap Raga Ensemble, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, Da’ud Constant,
voices; Jon Catler, electric sustainer guitar; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream
House
, New York
2006
Ecologus-Perspectives on an Imperiled Habitat, February 19 – March 3, 2007; Loft 36, New York
sound; October 12, 2006; MetroSpacial, Dupoux Design, New York
vilampit khayal set in Raga Yaman Kalyan, live performances; The Just Alap Raga Ensemble,
La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, Da’ud Constant, voices; Jon Catler, electric
sustainer guitar; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
2005
Young’s 1960 sustained friction sounds; performance, November 9, 2005; installation, November
11 – 25, 2005;
La Monte Young 70th Birthday Celebration, MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
Television Art/Mantra TV, MNN, New York
Yaman Kalyan, live performance, November 5, 2005; The Just Alap Raga Ensemble, La Monte
Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, Da’ud Constant, voices; Rose Okada, sarangi; Naren
Budhkar, tabla; La Monte Young 70th Birthday Celebration. MELA Foundation Dream House,
New York
Yaman Kalyan, live performance, February 5, 2005; The Just Alap Raga Ensemble, La Monte
Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, Da’ud Constant, voices; Rose Okada, sarangi; Charles
Curtis, cello; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
2004
Ensemble, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, Da’ud Constant, voices; Naren
Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
Sundara, ektal vilampit khayal set in Raga Yaman Kalyan, live performance, July 24, 2004; The
Just Alap Raga Ensemble, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, Da’ud Constant,
voices; Charles Curtis, cello; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
2003
June 12, 2003;
The Just Alap Raga Ensemble, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, voices; Rose
Okada, sarangi; Tzara Vierck, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
Young’s 1960 sustained friction sounds, live performance, Sunday, May 4, 2003; installation,
Fridays, May 9 – June 20, 2003. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
Ewha University Media Art Festival, Seoul, Korea
Television Art/Mantra TV, MNN, New York
2002
The Just Alap Raga Ensemble, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, voices; Rose
Okada, sarangi; Brad Catler, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
Charles Curtis
Kunst im Regenbogenstadl, Polling, Germany
performance, Thursday, August 22, 2002; The Just Alap Raga Ensemble, La Monte Young,
Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, voices; Brad Catler, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
Solo Exhibition, Open Gallery, New York
2001
Comprehends One; Sleep, video installations, sound: Charles Curtis
Diapason Sound and Intermedia Gallery, New York
Television Art/Mantra TV, MNN, New York
2000
Donald Miller, video sound performance
Vespers 03, Amphitheater, New York
Schumacher and Ursula Scherrer; video sound performance. Gale Gates et al., New York
video sound performance. Gallery Hinterconti, Hamburg, Germany
2013
August 13 – 22, 2013; Chungmu Art Hall Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2011
June 9–10, 2011; Konkuk University Glocal Campus, Chungju, Korea
2010
Seoul Art Space: Seogyo, Seoul, Korea
Theater Zero, Seoul, Korea
Artrang Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2009
Gallery THE, Seoul, Korea
Gallery of the Korea Advertising Cultural Center, Seoul, Korea
2008
Gallery of the Korea Advertising Cultural Center, Seoul, Korea
Gallery of the Korea Advertising Cultural Center, Seoul, Korea
2007
Gallery of the Korea Advertising Cultural Center, Seoul, Korea
2006
New York University, New York

Honors, grants, and commissions

2015
2012
2010-2012
2007
2006
2005
2003
2015
LPD v.2; Sound Environment, TONECYCLE BASE 30 HZ, 2:3:7, The Linear Superposition Of
77 Sine Wave Frequencies Set In Ratios Based On The Harmonics 2, 3 And 7 Imperceptibly
Ascending Toward Fixed Frequencies And Then Descending Toward The Starting Frequencies,
Infinitely Revolving As In Circles, In Parallel And Various Rates Of Similar Motion To Create
Continuous Slow Phase Shift With Long Beat Cycles
; La Monte Young Marian Zazeela Jung
Hee Choi Dia 15 VI 13 545 West 22 Street Dream House, Dia Art Foundation, New York
2013
Tonecycle Base 60 Hz, 2:3:7 Vocal Version; FRAC Franche-Comté Cité des Arts, France
2012
2011
2010
2006
2000
2011
2010
2008–present