Oratorio Martyres: Jieun Lee’s Grand Prize Vision of Faith, History, and Human Resilience
- WOMCO
- 7 days ago
- 9 min read
Jieun Lee, a composer from South Korea, has been awarded the Grand Prize in the Choir/Ensemble Music category and the Absolute First Prize in the Original Composition category for her work Oratorio Martyres at the Vivaldi International Music Competition 2025 Season 3. The competition ran from 19 June to 19 September 2025, with results announced on 8 October.
Jieun’s achievement not only highlights the artistic depth of Oratorio Martyres but also invites a closer look at the profound historical, spiritual, and musical vision behind the work. To better understand the creation of this large-scale oratorio—its themes, structure, and the years of research and dedication it required—we invited Jieun Lee to share the inspiration, creative process, and artistic philosophy that shaped this monumental composition.
Could you please introduce your award-winning composition Oratorio Martyres? When and under what circumstances was it composed? Could you share the inspiration behind the composition and the message you hope to convey through it?
Jieun Lee:
The term “oratorio” comes from the Latin word oratorium, meaning a prayer room or chapel attached to the Roman Papal Church.
It does not refer to liturgical music, but rather to music for God based on the Bible.
An oratorio is a dramatic musical work written for soloists, choir, and orchestra, usually with religious or moral themes.
At one time, the Church even forbade the theatrical performance of oratorios.
Since oratorios were composed at the request of popes or archbishops and were sacred in nature, they were performed only in churches.
Originating in the 16th century for religious education through prayer and music, many writers and composers continued to create oratorios up to the 19th century.
During the time of Bach, Handel, and Haydn, numerous oratorios were composed under the Church’s strong support and patronage, and they are still loved today.
Because of the nature of oratorios, records of premieres, patrons, scores, and performance venues have been preserved in church archives for centuries, providing valuable information to later musicians.
In Germany, a unique style of oratorio developed within Protestant church music, and under the influence of the Enlightenment, the focus sometimes shifted from biblical stories to human faith or praise of nature.
Modern oratorios, however, explore new themes and experimental compositional techniques, entering a new era of expression.
The Oratorio Martyres was born from deep research into history and religion by librettist Jae Chung Kim and composer Jieun Lee, who previously collaborated on the opera Time Cobweb and the “Cantata The Foundation Stone“
Its origin can be traced to 2022, when the work “Cantata The Foundation Stone“ – for Peter Lee Seung-hoon, the first Catholic convert in Korea” was commissioned by the Catholic Diocese of Incheon and the Incheon Catholic Choir.
All 11 pieces from “The Foundation Stone“ were rearranged and included in Oratorio Martyres.
While “The Foundation Stone“ focuses on one person, Peter Lee Seung-hoon, Martyres expands to portray Lee Byeok, Lee Seung-hoon, Jeong Yak-jong, and Kwon Cheol-shin, set against the backdrop of 19th-century feudal Joseon.
The work revisits the arrival of Western learning (Cheonju-hak), the spread of the Gospel, the failures of monarchy and factional politics, and the resulting uprisings of the people.
Most importantly, it explores how “Western learning” transformed from a philosophy into a religion, expressing persecution and death through the musical form of oratorio.
Act I begins with the humiliation of King Injo at Samjeondo, followed by the natural introduction of Cheonju-hak during Prince Sohyeon’s stay as a hostage in Qing China.
It then moves through the Cheonjinam Study Gathering of real Joseon scholars, the birth of the first baptized believer, the Supyogyo Meeting, the domestic priesthood system, and prayers and assemblies at Myeongryebang, now known as Myeongdong Cathedral.
Act II depicts the spread of Cheonju-hak among the common people, the repeated persecutions, the social upheavals against Confucian order, and the rise of movements like Donghak (Eastern Learning).
The act ends with the execution and martyrdom of the main characters at Seosomun Gate during the 1801 Sinyu Persecution.
The Oratorio Martyres divides this brilliant encounter between history and religion into the songs of humans and the songs of God.
It contains the divine answers that the people of Joseon longed to hear.
The requiem for the martyrs who wished to see the sky until their last breath is, paradoxically, expressed as a vivid gospel song with English lyrics.
Two hundred years ago, they had to confess their faith in secret; today, we live with freedom of religion.
Under the grand pulse of history, the struggles of our ancestors, their deep longing for God, the warm compassion of scholars, and the burning desire of the people for reform — all these slowly but steadily changed society.
The Oratorio Martyres unites human history, religion within history, and history through religion, inviting us to reflect once again on faith and history beyond boundaries.
What was your creative process like while composing for Oratorio Martyres? How did you approach the structure and dynamics of the piece?
Jieun Lee:
We believe in the enduring power of classical music, but we also recognize the sheer passion and sheer dedication it requires.
The oratorio's librettist, Jae Chung KIM, spent nearly a decade writing the libretto.It's about real people, real historic events, and a time when Korea first encountered the West. Composer Jieun LEE devoted nearly three years to composing an oratorio, a 200-year-old piece of music of gods and men that breathes martyrdom and prayer.
Capturing our history in classical music is never done in a single moment.And it takes even more courage and effort to bring it to the stage.
The early history of Catholicism in Korea was, in fact, a continuous series of tragic persecutions.
What significance does the countless number of people who followed the God's word and were martyred amidst the darkness of religious persecution hold for modern society?
Through Oratorio Martyres, we hope you all will have time to deep ponder this question.We sincerely hope that the Oratorio Martyres will convey our sincerity and our musical breath.
The Oratorio Martyres begins with the overture"Per aspera ad astra" - "Beyond suffering to the stars" - and consists of 23 songs.It was released on two albums, Act I and Act II that includes two encores.Oratorio Martyres consists of three orchestral movements, five choruses with Latin lyrics, 14 choruses with Korean lyrics, and a protagonist aria; the final chorus,"Servant of God," has English lyrics.
The 12 songs in Act I tell the story of the nearly 150 years of the spread of Catholicism in Korea.The songs are intertwined with real people and real historical events.
The music depicts the birth of Seung-hoon LEE Peter, servant of god, and captures the prayers and desperation of the early Christians as they turned to God in the midst of persecution, darkness, and trial.
The overture of Act I is a musical representation of the long period of time when history and religion first meet.Traditional Korean instruments in the orchestra convey the nervousness of the beginning. Pansori is the voice of the people in the feudal era.
The first people who realized religion and wanted to get closer to God connected through song.
A Brilliant Encounter Between History and Religion And finally, the first baptizer is born, and time passes, and the gospel comes to the people like a shadow, like the mist of dawn, like a long-awaited letter.
The final song of Act I is the impassioned Latin chorus "Rubrum Cathedralibus - Red Cathedral," an urgent call to remember the initial efforts that led to the Myeongdong Cathedral, which still stands today in Myeongdong, Seoul.
Act II opens with a song about the fearful realization that the people are dying amidst persecution and trials.Some abandon religion, some become snitches, some follow religion, but they realize that they are nothing before God.
Time passes, persecution continues, but the people awaken and rise up.The Helix Tempest is an orchestral portrait of turbulent times.Unlike the prayers of the early Christians, which were as breathless as night to night and day to day, in real history almost all Christians die in persecution.
This is followed by the majestic choral work The Way of the Martyrs, which addresses the period of persecution that saw the greatest number of martyrs.
The martyr's way is the way of death.
But beyond the deaths of the martyrs 200 years ago, the final English-lyric chorus conveys hope for those living in a time of religious freedom, and the voices of all the choirs come together in unison.
Through the oratorio Martyres, I hope to remember the many people who were sacrificed in history.
I also hope this becomes a precious time to reflect on myself and think about what kind of heart and attitude we have as we live in the present.
Our history, our ancestors, the religious voices that emerge from it, the voices of the people rising up in times of oppression, all of this is contained in the music of Oratorio Martyres.
Classical music is here to stay.We will create and perform even more than we do now to make our voices heard more than ever before.The sober intellect through metaphor, the beautiful and pure messages in music, the melodies that we want to remember and not forget, the human and the divine, religion and history - these are all things we want to continue to create.
Forever, music, forever! Forever, silent on the earth of music tradition and future!
Thank you very much.
Could you talk to us about yourself, your journey in music, and your future goals? Could you also share your perspective on what defines a great composer in today’s digital age, and what you consider to be the most significant artistic or professional challenges facing composer today and in the coming years?
Jieun Lee:
My goal as a composer is to connect the breaths of humanity, nature, and time through music.
A great composer is someone who actively engages with the spirit of their time through music.
They are not swayed by trends, but instead reflect deeply on humanity and compassion through sound.
Within the metaphor of music, they pursue endless reflection on the era, on people, and on nature.
As one poet said,
“In the digital age, true musicality is the humanity that AI can never replace.”
AI may be able to create harmony, melody, and even metaphor.
But the unexpected twist without reason,
the emotional awakening born from absurdity,
and the layers of meaning that transcend logic —
these belong only to the art of human beings.
Would you like to share your experience participating in our competition and anyone you'd like to thank?
Jieun Lee:
I am deeply honored that my oratorio Martyres has been recognized by the Vivaldi International Music Awards in the Choir and Original Composition categories.
I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to librettist Jae-Cheong Kim,
advisor Sung-Uk Hong and the advisory team, and to all the staff who worked tirelessly for the completion of this work.
I am also deeply grateful to the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture
and the Arts Council Korea, for recognizing and believing in this project.
The Replay Music sponsorship brought warm encouragement and strength /throughout this journey.
Biography
** Composer Jieun Lee Bio
Ji Eun Lee studied Composition (K.E.) and Improvisation (Popular & Film) at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Leipzig and completed doctoral studies in Film and Musical Theatre at Myongji University. Her music combines lyrical melodies and flowing harmonies with the techniques of German contemporary music and opera, uniting tradition and experimentation.
Since her debut in 2010 with Dialogic Baroque, she has built a broad repertoire including art songs, chamber works, cantatas, and operas. The Journey of Magistrate Park Moon-Soo (2018) and The Blazing Flame: Yu Gwan-sun (2019) revived historical memory through music. Her opera Time Cobweb (2021) was honored as an ARCO New Opera of the Year, followed by works such as The Story of Uigwe and the oratorio Martyres, which powerfully combined classical and traditional Korean music with choir and orchestra.
Her future-themed opera KALEA – BUTALSORO (2024) was selected as a New Opera of the Year by the Korea Arts Council. Addressing the climate crisis, marine destruction, and rising seas, it blends traditional Korean pansori with futuristic sounds to present hope and coexistence in a multiethnic world. Through this work, Lee declared an artistic initiative for climate action, demonstrating how classical music can serve as a bridge between humanity and the Earth’s memory.
In 2025, she was appointed an official artist of UNESCO’s UN Ocean Decade, and her participation in the international project OCEANs, broadcast in twelve countries, became a symbolic example of climate-conscious action by classical artists.
Lee has published five score collections and released thirteen albums on major global platforms. Her piano solo Butterfly in a Submarine was listed in Melon’s “Top 50 Classical Works of 2024,” alongside well-known classical repertoire.
In 2025, her opera KALEA – BUTALSORO (Live) was submitted to the 67th GRAMMY Awards for Best Opera Recording, writing a new chapter in Korean music history. Her cello album On the Sea Cliff was also entered in the classical solo category, further expanding her international message on climate and the ocean.
Her current work explores the intersection of music, ecology, and immersive technologies, building sonic bridges that connect nature, humanity, and audiences worldwide.
