Kollen Park storms Seoul jazz festival

The audience held its breath as a woman in a tight mini dress sang “All That Jazz.” The song from the musical “Chicago” was picked by the woman herself for the opening of her show “This is Kolleen”.

Kolleen Park’s sellout show marked the opening of the Seoul Jazz Festival 2011, held in Seoul’s most prestigious art center.

The 44-year-old’s colorful two-hour performance opened the four-day jazz festival, held this year at Sejong Art Center from May 9 to May 12.

Park, widely known for directing a choir for the TV program “The Qualities of a Man” last year, surprised the audience with her sexy look, which contrasted with her usual shirt and jeans combo.

A recent survey of 813 students from Seoul Art College voted Park the No.1 vocal trainer wanted by would-be singers.

Park was also chosen as the celebrity people most wanted to meet, according to a survey by a Korean TV program.

“Baik Ji-yeon’s People Inside,” a talk show hosted by a former news anchor, surveyed 300 people. Park received 18 percent of the vote, taking first place.

Kolleen debuted as a musical director for “The Last Empress” in 1995. She also directed numerous other famous pieces such as “The Phantom of the Opera,” “Chicago,” “Rent,” “Hair Spray,” “Miss Saigon,” and “Aida.”

She currently serves as artistic director for Kyyk Musical Studio and as head professor at Howon University. She has a bachelor’s degree for the cello from California Institute of the Arts and a master’s degree from Seoul National University’s Graduate School of Music in Korean traditional music.

(syun@heraldcorp.com)