Soon Hee Newbold is an American

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

, conductor,

musician A musician is a person who composes, conducts, or performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general term used to designate one who follows music as a profession. Musicians include songwriters who wri ...

, and

actress An actor or actress is a person who portrays a Character (arts), character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek ...

Early life

Newbold was born in South Korea and adopted as an infant. She spent her childhood growing up in

Frederick, Maryland Frederick is a city in and the county seat of Frederick County, Maryland. It is part of the Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan Area. Frederick has long been an important crossroads, located at the intersection of a major north–south Native ...

with two sisters. Newbold began studying piano at age five and violin at age seven winning prestigious competitions and performing as a concert artist at an early age.FJHmusic.com , Composers & Writers , Newbold Newbold
/ref> As a soloist and in professional orchestras throughout the world, Newbold appeared in venues such as

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhatta ...

The Kennedy Center The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (formally known as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, and commonly referred to as the Kennedy Center) is the United States National Cultural Center, located on the Potom ...

Wolf Trap A wolf trap (Spanish ''lobera'', Italian ''luparia'') was a chase ending in a pit with trapdoor and stakes used by beaters in hunting wolves in medieval Europe.Towards a History of the Basque Language José Ignacio Hualde, Joseba A. Lakarra, Rob ...

Disney World The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, th ...

Aspen Music Festival and School The Aspen Music Festival and School (AMFS) is a classical music festival held annually in Aspen, Colorado. It is noted both for its concert programming and the musical training it offers to mostly young-adult music students. Founded in 1949, the ...

, and

Tanglewood Tanglewood is a music venue in the towns of Lenox and Stockbridge in the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts. It has been the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1937. Tanglewood is also home to three music schools: the T ...

and in many countries throughout the world.Luck's Music Library - Spotlight Arranger - Newbold Newbold
Newbold attended Frederick High SchoolFrederick County Public Schools
where her interests included science, languages, and drama. She studied German, French, and Russian and completed an internship in AIDS and Cancer research at the

National Institutes of Health The National Institutes of Health, commonly referred to as NIH (with each letter pronounced individually), is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public health research. It was founded in the late ...

Fort Detrick Fort Detrick () is a United States Army Futures Command installation located in Frederick, Maryland. Historically, Fort Detrick was the center of the U.S. biological weapons program from 1943 to 1969. Since the discontinuation of that program, i ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

, under Dr. David Derse. Newbold received her

Bachelor of Music Bachelor of Music (BM or BMus) is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of a program of study in music. In the United States, it is a professional degree, and the majority of work consists of prescr ...

degree from

James Madison University James Madison University (JMU, Madison, or James Madison) is a public research university in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Founded in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg, the institution was renamed Madison Coll ...

JMU - Arts Through the Years Banner
/ref> where she concentrated on film scoring, orchestration, and audio production. During college, she also performed in professional symphonies in

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

, and

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

and was the winner twice of the JMU School of Music Concerto Competition performing

Violin Concerto (Khachaturian) Aram Khachaturian's Violin Concerto in D minor is a violin concerto in three movements composed in 1940. It was composed for David Oistrakh and was premiered on 16 November 1940 by Oistrakh. Composition In 1940, Khachaturian was enjoying tremendou ...

her

Freshman A freshman, fresher, first year, or frosh, is a person in the first year at an educational institution, usually a secondary school or at the college and university level, but also in other forms of post-secondary educational institutions. Ara ...

year and

Tzigane ''Tzigane'' is a rhapsodic composition by the French composer Maurice Ravel. It was commissioned by and dedicated to Hungarian violinist Jelly d'Arányi, great-niece of the influential violin virtuoso Joseph Joachim. The original instrumentati ...

Ravel Joseph Maurice Ravel (7 March 1875 – 28 December 1937) was a French composer, pianist and conductor. He is often associated with Impressionism in music, Impressionism along with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composer ...

as a Senior.JMU Library
/ref>

Career

Upon graduation, Newbold worked in entertainment for

Walt Disney World The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, th ...

and performed in various symphonies in

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

. She also produced albums and wrote for recording projects and ensembles. As an actress, Newbold expanded her experiences to film and television. She got her first break in the film, ''

The Waterboy ''The Waterboy'' is a 1998 American sports comedy film directed by Frank Coraci. It was written by Adam Sandler as well as Tim Herlihy and produced by Robert Simonds and Jack Giarraputo. Sandler also stars as the title character while Kathy Bates ...

'', starring

Adam Sandler Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9, 1966) is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, producer and singer. He was a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1990 to 1995, before going on to star in numerous Hollywood films, those of wh ...

, and first major role in the family comedy, ''Camp Tanglefoot'' with

Gregg Russell Gregg Russell is a nationally known singer, songwriter and actor who regularly performs on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. He has shared the stage with such famous acts as Steve Martin, The Beach Boys, George Burns and Stephen Curtis Chapma ...

Drew Seeley Andrew Michael Edgar Seeley (born April 30, 1982) is a Canadian actor, singer, songwriter and dancer. He has recorded many songs for the Walt Disney Company. He danced as a child in Ontario until he was about preteen age and then moved to Florida ...

, and Michael Andrew. A highly sought after prolific and published composer, Newbold's compositions can be heard around the world in film, orchestras, and other performing groups.SAS Hosts AMIS International Festival
She frequently travels the world as a guest composer, conductor, and clinician
and her works have been performed at

,MidAmerica Productions - Carnegie Hall Concert Series

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5 millio ...

Walt Disney Concert Hall The Walt Disney Concert Hall at 111 South Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles, California, is the fourth hall of the Los Angeles Music Center and was designed by Frank Gehry. It was opened on October 24, 2003. Bounded by Hope Street, Grand Ave ...

and the

Midwest Clinic The Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference is the world's largest instrumental music education conference, annually drawing approximately 17,000 attendees to Chicago from all 50 states and as many as forty countries. It is he ...

.The Midwest Clinic - 2004 Orchestra Concert Programs

Personal life

Newbold currently lives in

Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most po ...

with her husband. She works in film, television, and commercial projects as a producer, actress, composer, and musician. Newbold is also a proficient martial artist and trained in various weapons. She has a 3rd degree black belt in

Tae Kwon Do ''Taekwondo'', ''Tae Kwon Do'' or ''Taekwon-Do'' (; ko, 태권도/跆拳道 ) is a Korean martial arts, Korean form of martial arts involving punching and kicking techniques, with emphasis on head-height kicks, spinning jump kicks, and fast k ...

,Kukkiwon
/ref> 2nd degree black belt in

Hapkido Hapkido ( , , also spelled ''hap ki do'' or ''hapki-do''; from Korean 합기도 ''hapgido'' ) is a hybrid Korean martial art. It is a form of self-defense that employs joint locks, grappling, throwing techniques, kicks, punches, and other stri ...

,JK Taekwondo Blackbelts
and a black belt in Kigumdo (Korean swords)Kigumdo
similar to

Kendo is a modern Japanese martial art, descended from kenjutsu (one of the old Japanese martial arts, swordsmanship), that uses bamboo swords (shinai) as well as protective armor (bōgu). Today, it is widely practiced within Japan and has spread ...

. Her mother was diagnosed with

Huntington's disease Huntington's disease (HD), also known as Huntington's chorea, is a neurodegenerative disease that is mostly inherited. The earliest symptoms are often subtle problems with mood or mental abilities. A general lack of coordination and an unst ...

, a terminal genetic neurological illness for which there is very little treatment and no cure. Newbold wrote the song ''Endless Dreams'', and dedicated it to those affected by Huntington's to spread awareness and hope.Faces of Huntington's

Music

String orchestra

*''American Landscape'' (2006) *''Appalachian Hymn'' (2005) *''Arabian Dreams'' (2003) *''Calypso Sea'' (2019) *''Celtic Roots'' (2002) *''Celtic Sunrise'' (2020) *''Country Hoedown'' (2011) *''Dance of the Samodivi'' (2007) *''Desert Sands'' (2008) *''Dragon Dances'' (2003) *''Egyptian Legacy'' (2006) *''Elementa: I. Flights of Fancy, II. Terra, III. Fire and Ice'' (2022) *''Equuleus'' (2008) *''Fan Dance'' (2012) *''Fantasía española'' (2005) *''Fire Dance'' (2007) *''Gaelic Castle'' (2009) *''A Gypsy Tale'' (2005) *''The Haunted Carousel'' (2009) *''A Hero's Journey'' (2007) *''Hiawatha'' (2003) *''Honor and Glory'' (2008) *''Iditarod'' (2010) *''Invicta: for Solo Violin and Orchestra'' (2021) *''Irish Faire'' (2011) *''Jubilee Fanfare'' (2016) *''A Knight's Quest'' (2005) *''Le froid de l'hiver (The Cold of the Winter)'' (2004) *''Legend of Dark Mountain'' (2007) *''Lion City'' (2009) *''Medieval Kings'' (2010) *''Mystic Caravan'' (2012) *''Mythos'' (2006) *''North Star to Freedom'' (2008) *''The Odyssey: Journey of Odysseus'' (2004) *''Orion and the Scorpion'' (2012) *''Perseus'' (2009) *''A Pirate's Legend'' (2004) *''Rhythm 'n' Blues'' (2006) *''Rhythms of Africa'' (2010) *''Riders in the Night (Life of a Cowboy)'' (2008) *''Rock Riffs'' (2011) *''Rockin' Jammin' Swingin (2002) *''The Russian Music Box'' (2004) *''Ships of Ireland'' (2004) *''A Soldier's Hymn'' (2008) *''Song of the Sea Mariner'' (2006) *''Spirit of the American West'' (2003) *''Storm'' (2015) *''Viking'' (2014) *''Voyager'' (2020) *''Warrior Legacy'' (2010) *''The Wild Western Frontier'' (2007)

Full orchestra

*''Alpha and Omega'' (2020) *''American Landscape'' (2017) *''Egyptian Legacy'' (2014) *''A Pirate's Legend'' (2014) *''Warrior Legacy'' (2013)

Concert band

*''Storm'' (2020)

Arrangements

*''Hallelujah Chorus from "Messiah" by G.F. Handel'' (2009) *''Irish Legend by Robert Kerr'' (2008) *''Olaf and the Elf Maiden (Ólafur Liljurós) by Icelandic Traditional'' (2014) *''Slane (Be Thou My Vision) by Irish Traditional'' (2010) *''Sleepers Wake by J.S. Bach'' (2009)

Film scores

*''Forever Home: A Glimpse Into Dog Rescue'' (2014) *''Ghost Rock'' (2004)

Songs

*''Endless Dreams'' (1999) *''Johnny, Come On Home'' (2004) *''Pinches of Salt, Prisms of Light'' (2000) *''True Friends'' (1992)

Method books and collections

*''New Directions for Strings'' (The FJH Music Company, Inc.)

Filmography

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Newbold, Soon Hee American women classical composers American classical composers Living people American film actresses People from Seoul People from Frederick, Maryland Actresses from Maryland American adoptees South Korean adoptees South Korean emigrants to the United States American classical pianists American women classical pianists American classical violinists American television actresses Women conductors (music) American actresses of Korean descent Musicians from Maryland James Madison University alumni Year of birth missing (living people) 21st-century American conductors (music) 21st-century classical pianists 21st-century American women pianists 21st-century classical violinists 21st-century American pianists American hapkido practitioners South Korean hapkido practitioners 21st-century American violinists