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.Nicole V. Gagne (2012). "Young, La Monte". Historical Dictionary of Modern and Contemporary Classical Music. United Kingdom: Scarerow Press, Inc. p. 303 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.Young, L., Zazeela, M., & Choi, J. (2015). "The Just Alap Raga Ensemble, Pandit Pran Nath 97th Birthday Memorial Tribute, Three Evening Concerts of Raga Darbari". MELA Foundation, New York."Bio" from Jung Hee Choi's website"Press Release" from Dia Art Foundation website"Press Release" from Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum website 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.Walls, Seth Colter (2017-12-06). “The Best Classical Music Performances of 2017”. The New York Times (New York)
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.Young, L., Zazeela, M. & Choi, J. (2017) “Tonecycle for Blues Base 30 Hz, 2:3:7 Ensemble Version with 4:3 and 7:6” MELA Foundation, New York 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 [guitar and] 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
2025
Concert Performance, La Monte Young 90th Birthday Celebration, Raga Darbari, "Hazrat Turkaman" ektal vilampit, La Monte Young; The Just Alap Raga Ensemble; La Monte Young, Jung Hee Choi, voices; Jon Catler, fretless guitar; Hansford Rowe, fretless bass; Naren Budhkar, tabla; October 11 and 14, 2025; MELA Foundation Dream House, New York Video Sound Concert Performance, RICE and Harmonic Resonance Version of Composition in the Style of La Monte Young's 1960 Sustained Friction Sounds, Live Performances, Jung Hee Choi; Jung Hee Choi, instrumental performer; September 30, 2025; e-flux, New York Concert Performance, Pandit Pran Nath 29th Anniversary Memorial Tribute and Marian Zazeela 1st Anniversary Memorial Tribute, Raga Darbari, "Hazrat Turkaman" ektal vilampit, La Monte Young; The Just Alap Raga Ensemble; La Monte Young, Jung Hee Choi, voices; Jon Catler, fretless guitar; Hansford Rowe, fretless bass; Naren Budhkar, tabla; June 20 and 23, 2025; MELA Foundation Dream House, New York Mexico 25 V 08 Dream House Sound and Light Environment, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi; RICE in the Magenta Field, light installation; Light Point Drawings Nos. 23 and 24 in Magenta Daylight v. 3, light installation, The Tone-field: Perceptible Arithmetical Relations in a Cycle of Eight Indian Raga Scale Permutations, 25 V 08 - 25 V 25 Mexico City,sound environment, May 8–25, 2025, Mexico City, Mexico Dream House Sound and Light Environment, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi; Light Point Drawings Nos. 28 and 29 with still lights, light installation, Color (Abyss/Twitch) live realization v. 2, light installation, and The Tone-field: perceptible arithmetical relations in a cycle of eight Indian raga scale permutations, 23 IX 23 - 26 VI 21 New York, sound environment; April 16, 2025 – present; Collaborative Environment, MELA Foundation Dream House, New York Jung Hee Choi, Seven on Walter de Maria Instrument for La Monte Young, and La Monte Young, Studies in the Bowed Discon Robert Morris Gong for La Monte Young, Live Performances in a setting of Imagic Light, Marian Zazeela and Environmental Composition 2017 #1, v2., Jung Hee Choi; Jung Hee Choi, instrument; La Monte Young, Jung Hee Choi, bowed disc; January 18 and 25, 2025; MELA Foundation Dream House, New York 2024 Richard Maxfield, Perspectives for La Monte Young, Live Performances in a setting of Imagic Light, Marian Zazeela and Environmental Composition 2017 #1, v2., Jung Hee Choi; La Monte Young, Jung Hee Choi, contrabass, with pre-recorded sound; December 14, 2024; MELA Foundation Dream House, New York Video Sound Concert Performance, RICE and Harmonic Resonance Version of Composition in the Style of La Monte Young's 1960 Sustained Friction Sounds, Live Performances in a setting of Imagic Light, Marian Zazeela and Environmental Composition 2017 #1, v2., Jung Hee Choi; Jung Hee Choi, instrumental performer; November 10, 2024; MELA Foundation Dream House, New York Studies in the Bowed Disc, Live Performances on Robert Morris Gong for La Monte Young in a setting of Imagic Light, Marian Zazeela and Environmental Composition 2017 #1, v2., Jung Hee Choi; La Monte Young, Charles Curtis, Jung Hee Choi, bowed disc; November 2 and 3, 2024; MELA Foundation Dream House, New York La Monte Young 89th Birthday Celebration, Raga Darbari, "Hazrat Turkaman" ektal vilampit, La Monte Young; The Just Alap Raga Ensemble; La Monte Young, Jung Hee Choi, voices; Jon Catler, fretless guitar; Hansford Rowe, fretless bass; Naren Budhkar, tabla; October 17 and 19, 2024; MELA Foundation Dream House, New York Marian Zazeela Memorial Tribute, Two Concerts of Evening Ragas, Raga Yaman Kalyan, "Raga Sundara" ektal vilampit, La Monte Young, and Raga Sindh Bhairavi, "Was It The Shadow of His Feet?" dipchandi tal madhyalay, La Monte Young; The Just Alap Raga Ensemble; La Monte Young, Jung Hee Choi, voices; Jon Catler, fretless guitar; Hansford Rowe, fretless bass; Naren Budhkar, tabla; June 14 and 16, 2024; MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
2023
Studies in the Bowed Disc, Live Performances on Robert Morris Gong for La Monte Young in a setting of Imagic Light, Marian Zazeela and Environmental Composition 2017 #1, v2., Jung Hee Choi; La Monte Young, Jung Hee Choi, bowed disc; December 21 and 23, 2023; MELA Foundation Dream House, New York Tonecycle for Blues Base 30 Hz, 2:3:7 Ensemble Version with 4:3 and 7:6, Live Performances ; The Sundara All-Star Band; La Monte Young, Jung Hee Choi, voices; Ben Neill, just intonation trumpet; Jon Catler, fretless guitar; Hansford Rowe, fretless bass; Naren Budhkar, tabla; October 12 and 14, 2023; MELA Foundation Dream House, New York Dream House Sound and Light Environment, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi; Light Point Drawings Nos. 27, 28, 29 and 30 with still lights, Color (CNN/Twitch) live realization v. 2, Light Environments, an , The Tone-field: perceptible arithmetical relations in a cycle of eight Indian raga scale permutations, 23 IX 23 - 25 III 22, Sound Environment; September 23, 2023 - March 22, 2025; Collaborative Environment, MELA Foundation Dream House, New York La Monte Young, Akash Devi Blues for Marian, Young's Dorian Blues (c. 1960-61-present), Live Performances in a setting of Abstract #1 from Quadrilateral Phase Angle Traversals, Marian Zazeela and Environmental Composition 2017 # 1, Jung Hee Choi; The Theatre of Eternal Music Ensemble; La Monte Young, Jung Hee Choi, voices; Ben Neill, just intonation trumpet; Jon Catler, fretless guitar; Hansford Rowe, fretless bass; Naren Budhkar, tabla; May 19 and 21, 2023 at 7 pm; MELA Foundation Dream House, New York 2022 La Monte Young, Birthday Blues, Young's Dorian Blues (c. 1960-61-present), Live Performances in a setting of Abstract #1 from Quadrilateral Phase Angle Traversals, Marian Zazeela and Environmental Composition 2017 # 1, Jung Hee Choi; The Theatre of Eternal Music Ensemble; La Monte Young, Jung Hee Choi, voices; Ben Neill, just intonation trumpet; Jon Catler, fretless guitar; Hansford Rowe, fretless bass; Naren Budhkar, tabla; October 14 and 16, 2022 at 7 pm; MELA Foundation Dream House, New York La Monte Young, Birthday Blues, Young's Dorian Blues (c. 1960-61-present), Live Performances in a setting of Abstract #1 from Quadrilateral Phase Angle Traversals, Marian Zazeela and Environmental Composition 2017 # 1, Jung Hee Choi; The Theatre of Eternal Music Ensemble; La Monte Young, Jung Hee Choi, voices; Ben Neill, just intonation trumpet; Jon Catler, fretless guitar; Hansford Rowe, fretless bass; Charles Curtis, cello; Naren Budhkar, tabla; June 23 and 25, 2022 at 7 pm; MELA Foundation Dream House, New York Manifest Unmanifest XII; The Tone-field: Perceptible Arithmetical Relations in a Cycle of Eight Indian Raga Scale Permutations, 22 VI 08 - 22 VIII 13 New York (2017, 2022), sound environment, RICE in the Magenta Field (1999, 2021), multi-channel video and light installation, Color (YouTube/Twitch): live realization (2013, 2022); mixed media: incense, ashes, YouTube/Twitch live stream, video projector, wood, acrylic sheets, colored gels, Composition 2006 #3 (Spirit)( 2006); 60 x 72 in.; mixed media: graphite on paper and video, Light Point Drawings #31-1 and 31-2 (2019); 48 x 48 in.; mixed media: black wrap with pinholes, white diffusion gel, colored gels and LED lights; June 8, 2022 - September 15, 2022; The Sylvia Wald & Po Kim Gallery, New York Dream House Sound and Light Environment, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi; The Tone-field: Perceptible Arithmetical Relations in a Cycle of Eight Indian Raga Scale Permutations, 22 IV 7 - 22 VIII 7, Bonn sound environment, RICE in the Magenta Field (1998, 2021), April 7 - August 8, 2022, COLOR AS PROGRAM (FARBE IST PROGRAMM), Bundeskunsthalle, Art and Exhibition Hall of the Federal Republic of Germany, Bonn, Germany
2021
Dream House Sound and Light Environment, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi; The Tone-field: Perceptible Arithmetical Relations in a Cycle of Eight Indian Raga Scale Permutations, 21 XI 25 - 22 I 28, Lausanne sound environment, RICE in the Magenta Field (1998, 2021), Environmental Composition 2016 #1: Light Point Drawings Nos. 23, 24, 25 and 26(2016). November 25, 2021 - January 28, 2022; Galerie l'elac, Lausanne, Switzerland La Monte Young, Birthday Blues, Young's Dorian Blues (c. 1960-61-present), Live Performances in a setting of Abstract #1 from Quadrilateral Phase Angle Traversals, Marian Zazeela and Environmental Composition 2017 # 1, Jung Hee Choi; The Theatre of Eternal Music Ensemble; La Monte Young, Jung Hee Choi, voices; Ben Neill, just intonation trumpet; Jon Catler, fretless guitar; Hansford Rowe, fretless bass; Naren Budhkar, tabla; October 14 and 15, 2021, 7 pm; MELA Foundation Dream House, New York