Join us for an immersive musical experience that places you in the heart of the performance. Taking place in our intimate Studio space, The Sound Studio series brings you up close and personal with emerging classical performing artists.
Baritone SeungHyeon Baek
Korean baritone SeungHyeon Baek has gained recognition as an artist of versatility, applauded for the richness of his instrument and his considerable dramatic abilities.
In 2025-2026, Baek performed at The Metropolitan Opera as Marcello in La bohème. Additional 2025-2026 engagements included performances of Marcello in La bohème with Opera Orlando, house debuts with Vero Beach Opera in the title role of Rigoletto, Opera Grand Rapids as Sharpless in Madama Butterfly, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra.
During the 2024-2025 season, Baek covered the role of Marcello for The Metropolitan Opera and Bravo! Vail Music Festival with The Philadelphia Orchestra, sang Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor with the New Jersey Festival Orchestra, and brought his interpretation of Marcello to Pacific Symphony and Hawaii Opera Theatre.
Other recent highlights have seen Baek joining the roster of The Metropolitan Opera for their productions of La bohème and Falstaff; a house debut with New Orleans Opera as the Father in Hansel and Gretel; Enrico Ashton in Lucia di Lammermoor and Sonora in La Fanciulla del West with Maryland Lyric Opera; a role debut as Scarpia in Tosca with St. Pete Opera; the eponymous Gianni Schicchi with Opera Steamboat; an Opera Orlando debut in the title role of Rigoletto; and Yamadori in Madama Butterfly with the Canadian Opera Company.
Additional milestones and role debuts for Baek include Conte di Luna in Il trovatore with Opera San José and Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro with Opera Tampa, for which the Tampa Bay Times praised his “commanding baritone.” He also made a role debut as Tonio in Pagliacci with Opera Fairbanks and enjoyed house debuts with Opera North as Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and New York City Opera as Billy Jackrabbit in La fanciulla del West.
On the concert stage, Baek made his Carnegie Hall debut in Fauré’s Requiem with MidAmerica Productions and returned for Dvořák’s Te Deum and Vaughan Williams’ Five Mystical Songs. He also reprised the Fauré Requiem with Maryland Lyric Opera, performed Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, Dubois’ The Seven Last Words of Christ with Christian Broadcasting System of New York, and Dvořák’s Te Deum with Adelphi Orchestra. He made his Lincoln Center concert debut with InterSchool Orchestras of New York at the Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center.
A native of South Korea, Baek received a Professional Studies degree from Mannes College of Music. During his studies, he performed the title role in Gianni Schicchi, Don Alvaro in Il viaggio a Reims, and Di Cosimo in the New York premiere of Daniel Catán’s Il Postino. He also holds a master’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music, and a Bachelor of music degree from Chung-Ang University in Korea.
Soprano NaYoung Ban
South Korean soprano Nayoung Ban is a young and dedicated operatic artist with a rich and remarkably warm Bel Canto voice. She has been praised for her vocal color, stage presence, and musicality beyond her years. Recently, Ban made her house début as Musetta in La bohème with the Hawaii Opera Theater. She has also appeared as Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro) and Tebaldo/Celestial Voice (Don Carlo) with Maryland Lyric Opera, where she made her début in the title role of Lucia di Lammermoor. In addition, she made her Pacific Symphony Orchestra début as soprano soloist in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.
Her other operatic credits include Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro) and Musetta (La bohème) with Opera Ithaca; Rosina (Il barbiere di Siviglia by G. Paisiello) and Lauretta (Gianni Schicchi) with Mannes Opera; as well as Euridice (Orfeo ed Euridice), the Vixen (The Cunning Little Vixen), Giulietta (I Capuleti e i Montecchi), and Juliette (Roméo et Juliette) in Mannes Opera scene performances.
She also participated in the Maryland Lyric Opera’s Young Artist Institute, where she appeared in concert as Gilda (Rigoletto), Musetta (La bohème), Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), and Blonde (Die Entführung aus dem Serail). On the concert stage, Ban has performed as soprano soloist in Mendelssohn’s Hear My Prayer with the Peniel Women’s Choir, Dubois’s The Seven Last Words of Christ with the Christian Broadcasting System of New York, Gounod’s St. Cecilia Mass with the GNC Orchestra, and Handel’s Messiah with the New Hope Reformed Church of New York. Ban completed her Professional Studies at the Mannes School of Music, holds a Master’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music, and earned her Bachelor’s degree from ChungAng University in Korea.
Accompanist Jiin Jung
Jiin Jung is a New York-based pianist with professional experience in both Korea and the United States. She holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in piano performance from Seoul National University in Korea and a Professional Studies Diploma in collaborative piano from Mannes College of Music.
She has participated as a pianist in numerous opera productions with Seoul Metropolitan Opera, Seoul National University Opera Research Institute, The Mannes Opera, SUNY Purchase Opera, and many other opera companies. She has also taught at Suncheon National University and served as a staff pianist at Seoul National University. She currently serves as a staff/studio pianist at Mannes School of Music and collaborates with Sing for Hope Lab.
