Arabella Hong Young Tribute | Faculty House
Musical
Arts
You are invited to a unique afternoon of storytelling, music, and history centered on the life and legacy of Arabella Hong Young, Juilliard-trained soprano, Broadway performer, beloved teacher, and radiant presence in the lives of many. This is an intimate gathering to honor Arabella as an artist, mentor, and mother, and to reveal the quiet brilliance that defined her journey; from postwar concert tours to the Broadway stage where Rodgers & Hammerstein wrote a song just for her voice in the musical Flower Drum Song in 1958. As we celebrate Arabella’s extraordinary life, we’ll also explore the remarkable family that shaped her: her mother, Marion Wong, who acted and directed the first Asian American feature film in 1917, her father, K.S. Hong, who was the first Chinese American to receive an Electrical Engineering degree from UC Berkeley in 1917 and built ships during WWII, and her husband, Royce O. Young, who dropped out in 6th grade then taught himself calculus and eventually became the director of Pupin Physics lab at Columbia University. Through curated storytelling, rare photos and film, and moments of connection, we’ll witness how Arabella’s life unfolded within a lineage of courage and creativity, and how personal memory becomes part of a larger cultural legacy. This is an afternoon of discovery, reflection, and shared history and we’d be honored to have you with us. 🥂 Light refreshments will be served You do not need to create an Eventbrite account to RSVP—just enter your name and email to reserve your spot. IMPORTANT: Columbia University requires advance registration for campus access.
Each guest must RSVP to receive a personal QR code for entry. QR codes will be emailed in the days before the event. Please check your spam folder. 👉 Please RSVP using the Eventbrite registration form.
Information Source: Arabella Hong Young Family | eventbrite