Jiny Choi

Pianist Jiny Choi made a distinctive mark on the classical music scene in 2016 by becoming the first Korean pianist to release an album of Rachmaninoff's complete Études-Tableaux under Warner Music Korea. 

Her musical journey began at Seoul Arts High School, where she was selected as a Sungum Scholarship Foundation scholar and graduated with top honors across the entire music department, receiving numerous accolades including the Grand Prize and Yeonho Arts Award. Honored as an alumnus who brightened the institution on its 45th anniversary, she entered Seoul National University on an academic excellence scholarship. While studying there, she moved to Germany upon the recommendation of Professor Michael Schäfer and completed both her Diplom and Meisterklasse degrees with top honors at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich. She then continued her advanced studies under the tutelage of the legendary maestro Rudolf Buchbinder at the Musik-Akademie Basel in Switzerland, graduating with highest marks from both the Konzertdiplom and MASP/Solist diplom programs.  
Choi demonstrated her potential as a world-class pianist at the age of 19 by winning First Prize at the 13th Sonoda Takahiro International Piano Competition in Japan. Her international presence was further solidified through top prizes at the Munich Bavaria Lions Club International Competition, the Seiler International Piano Competition in Germany, and the "Silvio Bengali" International Piano Competition in Val Tidone, Italy. She also distinguished herself as a semifinalist and finalist in prestigious global competitions, including Montreal, ARD, Géza Anda, and Busoni. In 2007, she was awarded the Förderpreis from the Munich Steinway House, which supported her active concert career centered in Germany and Switzerland.  
Her orchestral debut in Japan took place at Osaka Hall with the Osaka Symphony Orchestra. Then she made her European debut with the Basel Symphony Orchestra at the historic Basler Stadt Casino Musiksaal. She has also collaborated with the Bavarian Symphony Orchestra at the Munich Gasteig Philharmonie, as well as the Munich Hochschule Orchestra, Millennium Symphony Orchestra, Prime Philharmonic Orchestra, AOS Orchestra, and the Gangneung Philharmonic Orchestra for a special concert commemorating the 2013 PyeongChang Special Olympics.  
As an active recitalist and chamber musician, Choi has performed extensively across Europe, Japan, and Korea, with notable appearances at the Seiler Klavierfestival, Siemens Arts Program, and a Korea-Japan Young Musicians Exchange tour. Following her recital at Kumho Art Hall, she gave complete recitals of Rachmaninoff’s Études-Tableaux and complete Albéniz’s Iberia at the Seoul Arts Center IBK Chamber Hall. Recently, she embarked on a complete Scriabin sonata cycle, which began in 2024, and collaborated with the Janáček String Quartet at Lotte Concert Hall. Deeply committed to contemporary music, she is also a member of the Kang Suk-hi Ensemble, performing regularly at the National Academy of Arts and the Daegu International Contemporary Music Festival.  
Beyond the stage, Choi is a highly respected pedagogue and adjudicator, frequently serving on the juries of numerous prestigious competitions and as a guest professor for international masterclasses and music academies. In recognition of her exceptional teaching, she has been honored with multiple Outstanding Teacher Awards at international music competitions. Having previously served as a lecturer at Yonsei University, Sookmyung Women's University, Sungshin Women's University, Chonnam National University, and Seoul Theological University, Choi currently nurtures young talents at Yewon School, Seoul Arts High School, Sunhwa Arts High School, and Deokwon Arts High School.