Hyo Jeong Youth Orchestra Holds First Public Concert Since Pandemic
Photo courtesy of David Eaton
After more than two years, the Hyo Jeong Youth Orchestra (HJYO) in Korea recently held its first public concert since the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020. HJYO Director and David Eaton says the much anticipated concert, held May 22 as part of the Heavenly Parent Holy Community Nuri Sunday service, was an exciting moment the orchestra has worked tirelessly toward.
“The concert featured several of the original compositions that I composed for the orchestra, such as Moodo March and Hyo Jeong Drum Jam, as well as four songs that I composed in 2020 for the Children’s Song CD project that True Mother requested as a way to learn the Korean language,” said Mr. Eaton.
“Vocalist Woo Ahan recorded those songs, and we invited her to sing them with the HJYO on this occasion,” he continued. “We also performed one of her original songs, Gritare, which she composed while she was in South America in 2019. The song is infused with Latin rhythmic and melodic influences, and the audience gave Miss. Woo a standing ovation for her exciting song and heartfelt performances.”
Photo courtesy of David Eaton
The HJYO, which began in 2018 with True Mother’s guidance, synthesizes Hyo Jin Moon’s vision for using music and culture as a way to promote the ideals of Heavenly Parent in the establishment of a culture of peace. “When I first came to Korea to begin my work in 2016, True Mother mentioned the importance of East-West harmony and how my being here could help promote unity between these two cultures,” said Mr. Eaton, an American from New Jersey. “In preparing for the concert ... I recalled True Mother’s remarks about how the arts can promote unity and harmony.”
Though the HJYO shifted to online instruction during the pandemic, the group remained committed to achieving mastery of their performances. “We continued online music lessons and maintained the hope that we could perform again,” said Mr. Eaton. “Our faculty was instructing the students ... as much as ten hours per week. Their dedication to our young musicians was quite inspiring.”
Then, during True Mother’s keynote address at the Rally of Hope in Nov. 2020, she announced her desire to establish the International Artists Association for Culture and Peace (IAACP). Her message deeply resonated with Mr. Eaton, who drew inspiration from her remarks.
“She shared her view that the artistic expressions of Europe and its classical tradition were part of the Christian culture and that this tradition could be a model for art in the Hyo Jeong cultural experience,” he said. “She alluded to how European artistic culture was a glorious expression based on the expectation of the return of Christ and the dawning of Heavenly Parent’s ideal world.”
Photo courtesy of David Eaton
After being appointed the chairman of the Cheon Il Guk Holy Song Committee in 2016 and moving to South Korea, Mr. Eaton has continued working with musicians in the U.S. and abroad in an effort to create more original Holy Songs and a greater sense of Hyo Jeong culture across the globe. He has worked closely with the L.A. Band, among others, to record several new original songs for the annual Holy Song Competition run by the CIG Holy Song Committee.
The desire for original songs from musicians in the Unification community has prompted the creation of a week-long songwriting intensive this summer, The Original Song Project, for young adult Unificationist musicians in America.
“Our mission is to create an artistic, constructive, and supportive space for young adults to inspire the writing and sharing of original songs,” said Sunhwa Reiner, program director. Starting initiatives like The Original Song Project and the Hyo Jeong Youth Orchestra is not an easy road, but with consistent effort, patience, and gratitude, the results speak for themselves.
“I wasn’t sure if we could be successful [in the beginning],” Mr. Eaton said regarding the orchestra. “However ... I sensed that we could build something that could have an impact on the children in our program as well as the Gapyeong community.”
The HJYO program now has more than a hundred students and provides instruction in flute, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, guitar, trumpet, and percussion. But Mr. Eaton says there is more to come, as he aims to present four concerts annually and build the orchestra into an important cultural institution, similar to the Little Angels.
“It is our hope that through this program we can have a positive influence on the Seorak community and share the ideals of Heavenly Parent’s Holy Community through the art of music,” he said. “True Mother is always reminding us that gratitude is the key to dealing with challenging circumstances, and in the spirit of gratitude, we continued to prepare and, eventually, presented our performance. [We are thankful to] True Mother, Dr. Yun Young Ho, HJYO leadership, teachers, staff, parents, and students for their support and perseverance during these trying times. [Our] results are proof of everyone’s determination and dedication to the HJYO program.”
You can watch one of the songs from the Hyo Jeong Youth Orchestra program here.