Christopher J. Hoh
“Full of charm and shapely allure” (Opera News) and “a tapestry of immense grace” (Textura) are some of the praise for music of Christopher J. Hoh. He composes for voices and instruments, separately and combined, in a modern classical vein. In the mid-Atlantic region, his work has enhanced many worship services and choral concerts, but audiences across the United States and in Europe and the Americas have also enjoyed his compositions. Ensembles including the Grammy-winning group The Crossing have recorded his work on six albums so far. The whimsical “For the Children or the Grown-Ups?” is slated for release on a 2022 holiday album with Vox Futura.
Notable commissions include:
The Stuttgart German-American Chorus — Ero Cras: The O Antiphons, Advent concert piece for SATB & organ.
The Alexandria (VA) Choral Society and Kinderchoir — Away We Go, sailing triptych for semi-chorus, SATB & piano.
GenOUT Youth Chorus (DC) — I Still Am Free, pride song for SAB & piano.
Carnuntum Archaeological Park (Austria) — Ecumenical Meditation, for SATB, flute, clarinet, cello & piano.
Congregational Church of South Glastonbury (CT) — Praise Ye Almighty God, anthem for SATB & organ.
Solmaaz Adeli & Friends (international) — My Love, folksongs arranged for mezzo-soprano, cello & piano.
Meistersingers of Orange County (CA) — My Mistress’ Eyes, Shakespeare poem for SATB; Ein Kind Geborn in Bethlehem, Christmas motet for SSATBB.
King’s Chapel, Boston — “Aromimcha Adonai,” Psalm 30 for solo tenor & SSAATTBB.
The Washington DC based professional ensemble The Thirteen recently premiered Chris’ “Musica Dei Donum” for 12 voices. Meanwhile, the first performances of his Mass on “When Jesus Wept” took place with King’s Chapel Choir in Boston and of the art song “A Little More Peace” with mezzo soprano Solmaaz Adeli on a bi-coastal tour. Helena Montana’s Choral Week directed by Kerry Krebill selected him as Composer-in- Residence for 2008, premiering “Holy, Holy, Holy Is The Lord God of Hosts” and giving a concert of his music. The William & Mary University Choir, Musikanten and others have taken Chris’ music on tour.
Prior years held premieres of the song cycle “I Breathed A Song” at Vienna’s Musikverein and of the SSATBB “Evening Music: Five Sarton Poems” in Maryland and overseas. Selections from “Three Latin Prayers” have been widely heard, from a Virginia New Year’s celebration and a church in Vienna Austria, to Simon Carrington’s conducting workshop in Umbria Italy. St. Monica & St. James Episcopal Church on Washington’s Capitol Hill commissioned for Pentecost “From Heaven There Came A Sound,,” a multilingual work, for children’s and adult choirs, piano & percussion.
While best known as a choral composer, Chris Hoh pivoted during the pandemic to the pipe organ — the ultimate safe-distance instrument. The Lorenz Corporation published some of his organ pieces in 2022 with more slated for 2023, while his own publishing house, HohMade Music , has issued to date four volumes of works for recital and worship. His Concertino Corona for organ and chamber orchestra is scheduled for a commercial album release in 2023.
Chris grew up in Reading, Pennsylvania, where he studied with conductor/organist/composer Donald Hinkle. As a young singer and accompanist he was influenced learning great choral works under directors in Pennsylvania, New York and Washington DC. He has been a fellow in Alice Parker’s composer seminar and attended workshops with Jean Berger, Daniel Moe and Craig Jessop. Chris’s formal education and career were in international affairs before retiring from the U.S. Foreign Service after thirty-some years. He is a member of American Composers Forum , American Choral Directors Association , and ASCAP as both publisher and composer. Most of Christopher J. Hoh’s work is available at www.HohMadeMusic.com . He maintains active pages on YouTube and Facebook.