Choi, Young Sun


     A pianist from South Korea, Young Sun Choi got the first prize and the audience prize with two other special prizes at the 26th Rina Sala Gallo Monza International Piano Competition. She has claimed top honors in prestigious competitions such as the Gurwitz International Piano Competition (previously, San Antonio International Piano Competition), the Bösendorfer USASU International Piano Competition, American International Paderewski Piano Competition, and Lyon International Piano Competition.


     Choi has performed concertos with orchestras worldwide, including the Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra, Sinfonica di Milano, KBS Symphony Orchestra, Prime Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra "O. Stillo", Kazan Chamber Orchestra "La Primavera," and the Indiana University Symphony Orchestra. She has played under the baton of great conductors including Kolja Blacher, Thomas Wilkins, Scott Yoo, and YunSung Chang.


     In 2023, Choi was invited by the Paderewski Festival in North Carolina with Martin Garcia Garcia, Hyuk Lee, Mateusz Krzyzowski, and Maria Stratigou. She was invited by Fazioli Pianoforti to perform Winners Series Concert.


     As an avid chamber musician, she has her piano trio, Trio Unio which includes violinist Eunji Kim and cellist Ah-Yeon Nam. Trio Unio has awarded second prize at the Franz Schubert and Modern Music International Chamber Music Competition in Graz, Austria. And they recently have been invited to perform by Samsung Electronics at their own concert hall.


     Choi's solo performances were aired through the Texas Public Radio and Arte TV. And Choi got an honor to be a dedicatee of 'Three Preludes for Piano" by a Grammy award winner composer Michael Fine. The published score is available on the Donemus Publishing website.

     She graduated from Yewon School, Seoul Arts High School, under the tutelage of Jung Won Moon. She got her bachelor’s degree in piano and musicology at Seoul National University, under the guidance of Aviram Reichert. Later, she attained a master's degree in piano from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music where she currently continues her educational journey as a doctoral student, under the mentorship of Arnaldo Cohen. Additionally, Choi served as an associate instructor in the piano department at the Jacobs School of Music.

E D U C A T I O N
2020 ~ Present Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Doctor of Music in Piano Performance and Music Literature (Doctoral Minor: Music Theory and Collaborative Piano)
2020 Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Master of Music in Piano Performance
2018 Seoul National University, Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance and Musicology (Summa Cum Laude)
2‌012 Seoul Arts High School
2009 Yewon School
A W A R D S
2024 The Gurwitz International Piano Competition, 3nd Prize and Special Prize for the Best Performance of Spanish Work
2023 Bösendorfer USASU International Piano Competition, 2nd Prize and Audience Prize
2022 Rina Sala Gallo Monza International Piano Competition, First Prize, Audience Prize, Chopin Prize, and Orchestra Prize
2022 "Franz Schubert and Modern Music" International Chamber Music Competition, 2nd Prize
2022 American International Paderewski Piano Competition, Winner
2022 Indiana University Concerto Competition, Winner
2021 KBS-KEPCO Music Competition, 2nd Prize
2021 Concours International Leopold Bellan, Prix D'Honneur
2‌019 Indianapolis Matinee Musicale Collegiate Scholarship Audition, 1st prize: The Mildred E. Allen Memorial Piano Award
‌2019 The National Society of Arts and Letters Music Competition, The Ham Merit Award and O'Meara Merit Award
‌2019 Ann & Charles Eisemann International Young Artist Competition, 3rd Prize
‌2018 Indiana University Concerto Competition, Winner
‌2018 International Piano Competition of Lyon, 3rd Prize
2‌017 Dong-A Music Competition, 2nd Prize
2‌016 International Competition "Young Virtuoso," 2nd Prize and Special Prize
2016 Korea-Asia Piano Open Competition, 2nd Prize
2015-2017 Korean National Scholarship for Outstanding Artists
‌2014 Samick Cultural Foundation & Seoul National University Alumni Association Scholarship
‌2014 HDC Youngchang Music Concours, Grand Prize