Monday, June 9th

Praised by El Comercio as a "pianist with a masterful display of artistry," Joonghun Cho is a dedicated performing artist known for his versatility as a pianist, chamber musician, and pedagogue. He has concertized widely giving performances across South Korea, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Slovakia, the UK, Japan, the United States and Canada. His performances have included solo appearances with renowned orchestras, such as the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra, Flint Symphony Orchestra, Kalamazoo Philharmonia, and Brescia Master Orchestra. His musical prowess has also led to invitations as a guest artist at esteemed music festivals such as the Gijón International Piano Festival, Porto Pianofest, Palmetto International Piano Festival, Yeon-Eum Summer Music Festival, Festival Internacional de Música José Luis Vega "Pelis," and American Liszt Society Festival.

Joonghun's passion for collaborative music extends to his flourishing career as a chamber musician. He has had the privilege of showcasing his chamber music performances at numerous esteemed institutions and festivals, such as the Eastman School of Music, University of Toronto, Royal Conservatory of Music, Chatter Santa Fe, West End Micro Music Festival, International Cello Institute and Caledon Music Festival with many distinguished artists including Joseph Johnson, Luri Lee, Eric Abramovitz and many others. Notably, he participated in a recording project featuring new compositions by William Horne, which was released by Blue Griffin Recording Label in 2024.

In addition to his performing career, Joonghun has garnered numerous prizes in international competitions. His achievements include the gold medal in the Vienna International Music Competition, first prize in the Master Orchestra International Concerto Competition, second prize in the William C. Byrd Young Artist Competition, first prize in the International Chopin Piano Competition in Japan, second prize in the Schimmel USASU International Piano Competition, and third prize in the Glasgow International Piano Competition for Young Pianists.

Born in Suwon, South Korea, Joonghun commenced his musical journey at the Yewon School and Seoul Art High School in Seoul, studying under the guidance of Min Sook Jeon, Tong-il Han, and Hyoung-Joon Chang. Upon relocating to the United States, he pursued his Bachelor of Music in piano performance at the Eastman School of Music, studying with Barry Snyder. Joonghun continued his musical education at the University of Michigan under the mentorship of Logan Skelton, completing both his Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts.

Currently based in Toronto, Canada, Joonghun serves as the artistic director for Classical Concert Series at the Gibson Centre, where he continues to inspire audiences with his musical expertise.