'Father of Choir' Professor Nayoungsoo of Hanyang University Passes Away... Jazz Diva Nayunsun's Father Mourned

'The Godfather of Korean Choir' Na Young-su, Honorary Professor of Vocal Music at Hanyang University, passed away on the 2nd. He was 85 years old.

According to the bereaved family on the 3rd, he passed away on the afternoon of the 2nd due to an illness.

Born in Manchuria in 1938 and raised in Hambuk, he moved south with his family in 1949 and studied vocal music at Gyeongbuk Middle and High Schools in Daegu. While attending Seoul National University’s vocal music department, he was an original member of the KBS Choir.

In 1962, he joined Ye Green, the first musical theater choir in Korea, and from 1963, he began his path as a conductor by leading the Seoul Folk Song and Dance Troupe Choir for a year. From 1970 to 1972, he served as the inaugural choir director of MBC TV, and when Ye Green Orchestra transformed into the National Dance Troupe under the National Theater in 1972, he took charge of conducting the National Dance Troupe Choir in 1973. This was the beginning of the National Choir, which officially launched in January 1975 after its inaugural performance in July 1974.

For the inaugural performance in 1974, he entrusted composer Kim Hee-jo with arranging the 'Boat Song' from the pansori 'Simcheongga' into a folk choir piece, and he developed over 600 Korean-language choral works, including hosting the 'University Student Choir Song Presentation' for 10 years. In 1976, he led the establishment of the Korea Choral Federation and served as its third president, organizing the Korea Choral Festival.

With only a bachelor's degree, he began teaching as a professor in the vocal music department at Hanyang University from 1982, nurturing future talents. He led the National Choir for 21 years, serving as its first, third, and seventh director. During this time, he also directed the Seongnam, Seoul, and Ulsan municipal choirs, and from 2004, he worked as a distinguished professor at Ulsan University.

He received numerous awards including the Music Merit Award (1992), Korea Choral Award (1995), Korea Musical Award (1995), Baeknam Academic Award (1999), 'Arts and Culture Grand Prize' (2002), and Baeknam Prize (2017).

He is survived by his wife Kim Mi-jung, their son and daughter Na Yoon-sun (jazz singer) and Na Seung-ryeol (photographer), son-in-law In Jae-jin (general director of the Jarasum Jazz Festival), and daughter-in-law Min Seon-joo (writer).

The funeral is being held at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital Funeral Hall, Room 3. The funeral procession will depart at 7 a.m. on the 5th, with the burial at Yongin Seoul Park.