Hiza Yoo

Artistic Director | Composer | Educator
Director, Hiza Yoo Korean Dance Institute | Director, Chum Mani Troupe

About Hiza Yoo

Hiza Yoo is an acclaimed artistic director, composer, and educator devoted to preserving and sharing the rich heritage of Korean music and dance. Trained from a young age by Korea’s most esteemed traditional masters, she has produced and directed over 350 performances nationwide, gracing stages at cultural festivals, universities, and commemorative events for Korean War veterans and the U.S. Air Force.

As the founder and director of both the Hiza Yoo Korean Dance Institute and the Chum Mani Troupe, she teaches a wide range of traditional Korean arts—such as gayageum (zither), janggo (hourglass drum), Y Nanta (percussion), and iconic dance forms including samgomu (three-drum dance),  buchaechum (fan dance), and talchum (mask dance). Through her choreography and instruction, she has nurtured generations of Korean American artists and introduced Korean culture to diverse communities.

Her contributions to cultural preservation have earned her numerous accolades, including the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award presented during the Obama administration and the Pioneer Award from the Korean Federation of Los Angeles.  Whether captivating audiences on stage or inspiring students in the classroom, Hiza Yoo remains passionate about sustaining the legacy of Korean performing arts—ensuring its traditions continue to thrive with beauty, relevance, and grace.

Selected Honors & Recognition

• Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award – the highest honor within the President’s Volunteer Service Awards, presented during President Barack Obama’s administration for outstanding lifelong service (2015)
• Pioneer Award – Korean Federation of L.A. & Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (2016)
• Appreciation Plaque – Seoul National University Alumni Association of Southern California (2017)
• Over 40 Certificates of Appreciation – including recognitions from:
  • L.A. City Council (Mitchell Englander)
  • LACMA
  • Pacific Asia Museum
  • Korean Cultural Center LA
  • Disneyland
  • The Kennedy Center
  • UC San Diego
  • CSUN
  • Numerous civic and cultural organizations

EXPERIENCE HIGHLIGHTS

Founder & Director, Hiza Yoo Korean Dance Institute (1999–Present) 

• Founded the institute to teach traditional Korean music and dance to students of all ages
• Performances at major festivals, cultural centers, museums, schools, libraries, and community organizations across the U.S.

Founder & Director, Chum Mani Troupe (1998- Present)

• Leads performances of traditional Korean music and dance throughout the U.S.

PROJECTS & ACHIEVEMENTS 

• 2016 – Featured gayageum performer in a Central Health Medicare Plan commercial (aired on KBS & SBS TV)
• 2016 – Hiza Yoo’s students Lynden Kim and ChaeYeon Lee featured in Two Bellmen Three (Marriott Hotel film), performing her signature works: Samgomoo and Modeumbuk
• 2014 – Live concert at Korean Cultural Center LA
• 2013 – Inaugural concert produced and directed by Hiza Yoo at CSUN’s Plaza Del Sol Performance Hall, showcasing her original choreography, guest artists, and student performers
• 2012 – Designated as a Certifying Organization for the President’s Volunteer Service Award
• 2011 – Released original album: Hi-Za Yoo Compositions for Gayageum
• 2004 – Recipient of the Maddy Award for excellence in choreography (When Tigers Smoked Long Pipes)
• 2003 – Featured as an expert on Korean traditional music and European classical music in Making Music, a textbook widely used in U.S. classrooms.
• 2001 – Named Outstanding Teacher by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (NFAA)

ROLES & CONTRIBUTIONS 

Composer & Performer

• 2010 – Music composer and gayageum performer for the two plays, Why Does Jasmine Turn Counter Clockwise and Prodigal Daughter, presented at the Korean Cultural Center LA (30th Anniversary Celebration)
• 2000 – Composed theme music for the play Shim Chong Chon and performed live on gayageum and percussion at:
  • California State University, Northridge (Feb 27 – Mar 5)
  • The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C. (Jun 1)

 Teaching & Leadership

• 2012-Present – Samulnori Instructor, Porter Ranch Community School
  • Teaches over 125  students through the “Rhythms of Korea” program, in partnership with LAUSD’s Beyond the Bell Branch and the Korean Cultural Center LA
• 2011 – Guest instructor, “World Drama” class, CSUN Theatre Department
  • Taught Korean music, dance, and talchum (mask dance) in English as part of a university lecture and discussion course (Oct 11)
• 2000-2007 – Samulnori Instructor,  Korean Institute of Southern California, Granada Hills
  • Taught traditional Korean percussion and ensemble music to students and community members
• 1999 – Instructor,  L.A. Northridge Korean School & OASIS Granada Hills Charter School
  • Provided instruction in Korean music and cultural arts
• 1998-2020 – World of Rhythms Coordinator, a performing folk dance & music troupe
• 1970-Present –  Private Music Instructor, Gayageum & Janggo

Memberships & Commissions

• 1998-Present – Member, ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers)
• 1993-1994 – Commissioner, Asian Pacific American Education Commission (1993–1994)
• 1982-1983 – Member, Pan Asian Chamber Orchestra
  • Directed by Elisabeth Waldo, founder of the Multi-Cultural Music & Art Foundation of Northridge
  • Performed as a musician & dancer in LA public schools
  • Served as a library clerical assistant

Performance History

• 1978-1979 – Musician, Korean Ethnic Heritage Group
• 1972-1979 – Musician & Dancer, Korean Classical Music Institute
• 1972 – Gayageum Soloist, Seoul National University Orchestra
• 1963 – Dancer, Korean Cultural Commission tour in Japan (two months), sponsored by the Korean government

Education

• 1977 – Master of Arts,  Music Composition at California State University, Northridge
• 1972 – Bachelor of Arts, Music (Gayageum Major) at Seoul National University, South Korea
• 1972-1975 – Undergraduate Studies at CSUN and Santa Monica College
• 1968 –  Graduated from Gyunggi Girls’ Middle & High School, South Korea
• At age 4, she began training in Korean traditional dance under Korea’s renowned masters, including Mrs. Baeck Bong Kim, Mrs. Soon Sung Kim, and designated Intangible Cultural Heritage bearers Mrs. Sun Young Kang and Mr. Mae Bang Lee.