Hyokyoung (Hannah) Byun earned a Doctorate of Musical Arts (Konzert Examen, 1997) in Organ Performance from the Universität der Künste in Berlin, Germany, where she studied with Rudolf Heinemann. While in Germany, she also pursued choral conducting at Hanns Eisler Music Hochschule with Achim Zimmermann and at Universität der Künste in Berlin with Uwe Gronostay. In 1999, in addition to her DMA in Organ Performance, she was also awarded Diplom für Dirigent (Masters in Conducting) from the Universität für Künste. While studying in Berlin, Ms. Byun served as music director for Martin Luther King Church, and as organist/accompanist for the Berliner Sing Akademie under conductor Achimm Zimmermann. Concurrently, she was a recitalist at the prestigious Gedächnis Kirche memorial church, and served as guest conductor with the Berliner Philharmonischen Chor, conducting Mendelssohn’s Paulus.
Previous to her arrival in Seattle in 2009, Hyokyoung was adjunct professor of organ and choral conducting at Yonsei, Joongang, and Jangsin Presbyterian Universities (South Korea). In addition, she was the founding director for Goyang City Children’s Choir, an elite ensemble of 50 select music students. Ms. Byun received her Bachelors of Music in Church Music (emphasis on organ performance) from the prestigious Yonsei University, the foremost school for such study in Korea. At Yonsei, she was selected as First-in-Class for the four years of her enrollment. In Seattle, Hyokyoung is organist at Haller Lake United Methodist Church and music director of the Seattle Dream Church, while she pursues her second doctorate at the UW (DMA in Choral Conducting with Dr. Geoffrey Boers). Recently, she served as interim music director at St. Stephen’s Episcopal (Laurelhurst).
Currently, She is the principal organist at University Presbyterian Church and the music director at Seattle Dream Church.
변효경씨는 연세대학교 교회음악과를 수석입학하여 4년 성적 장학금을 수여받으며 오르간을 전공하였습니다. 졸업후 독일 베를린 국립음대에서 오르간 Konzert Examen(DMA) 학위를 마쳤고 동시에 한스 아이슬러 대학의 아힘 찜머만 교수와 베를린 국립음대 우베 그로노스타이 교수를 사사하며 베를린 국립음대에서 합창지휘 Diplom을 획득했습니다. 독일유학기간 동안 마틴루터 킹 교회의 음악감독으로 5년간 활동하였고, 아힘 찜머만 교수가 이끄는 베를린 징 아카데미의 오르가니스트로도 활약하였고, 베를린 필하모닉 합창단의 객원 지휘자로 멘델스죤의 사도바울을 지휘하였습니다. 귀국후 연세대, 한국예술 종합학교, 장신대, 중앙대, 목원대등에서 강사로 활동하면서 고양시립 소년소녀 합창단의 창단 지휘자로도 활약한 바 있습니다. 현재 미국의 워싱턴 주립대학에서 보어스 교수를 사사하며 합창지휘 박사과정에 있으며, University Presbyterian Church 에서 수석 오르가니스트로 활동하며 시애틀 드림교회의 음악감독직도 맡고 있습니다.