ICEP Spotlight – Dr. Zebulon Highben & Mr. Jihoon Park

In this series of seven posts highlighting 2016 ICEP introductions, I am pleased to introduce Dr. Zebulon Highben, Assistant Professor of Music at Muskingem University and Mr. Jihoon Park, conductor of the Gunsan Civic Choir from South Korea. Please join me in congratulating these individuals on their selection as 2016 ICEP Conducting Fellows.

Dr. Zebulon Highben

Dr. Zebulon M. Highben is Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Muskingum University, a liberal arts college of the Presbyterian Church (USA) in New Concord, Ohio. He conducts three of Muskingum’s six vocal ensembles and teaches conducting, choral methods, choral literature, and applied voice and composition. Choirs under Zebulon’s direction have been featured at numerous conferences and festivals, including ACDA of Minnesota, the St. Olaf College Choral Festival, and the Ohio Choral Directors Association. He has served as a guest conductor, clinician, and lecturer throughout the United States. A native of Ohio, Zebulon studied music education at Ohio State University, graduating magna cum laude and with departmental distinction. He earned the Master of Sacred Music from Luther Seminary with St. Olaf College, and the Doctor of Musical Arts from Michigan State University, where he was a recipient of both the Charles K. Smith Fellowship in Choral Conducting and the Robert A. Harris Award for Excellence in Choral Performance. He serves on the board of the Ohio Choral Directors Association and the Advisory Council for the Institute of Liturgical Studies at Valparaiso University.

Mr. Jihoon Park

Mr. Jihoon Park is currently the conductor of the Gunsan Civic Choir and the Director of Music at the Hansomang Presbyterian Church. His past engagements include conductor of the University Singers and Kantorei Choir at the University of Arizona, assistant conductor of the Colorado State University, Fort Collins Chamber Choir and the conductor of the First Korean Church in Fort Collins. His teaching appointments include Hansei University, Chung-ang University, Baekseok Graduate School and the Seoul Popular Music Academy. Jihoon Park is known as the most active choral composer and conductor in South Korea as well as choral music seminars in foreign countries. His songs have performed at the Carnegie Hall, the Grand National Concert Hall in China, the Seoul Arts Center, and the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. Most recently, the Ansan civic choir performed “The Fisher man’s song” at ACDA (Salt lake City) in 2015. Mr. Park received his Bachelors degree in Composition and his Masters degree in Choral Conducting from Chung-Ang University. He received a second Masters degree in Choral Conducting at Colorado State University, Fort Collins and he is currently ABD in Choral Conducting at the University of Arizona. During his time with the ACDA International Conductors Exchange Program, Mr. Park will be a guest of the Southern Division from March 5 to March 16, 2016. For more information, please contact Southern Division ICEP Liaison, Emily Williams Burch at: .