About
Pianist Rachel Yunkyung Choo has been praised for her artistry and musical sensitivity and enjoys an active career as a soloist and chamber musician. The New York Sun lauded her Lincoln Center debut as a “perfect” playing exhibited “a strong-handed air of confidence,” and The New York Times music critic James Oestreich wrote of her recent Carnegie Hall performance, “Rachel Choo stood out among the players.” Rachel made her U.S. debut at the Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center with the Juilliard Orchestra under maestro James Colon.
A native of Seoul, Korea, Rachel graduated from Yewon Middle School and the Seoul Arts High School where she studied with Hae-Jeon Lee and Choong Mo Kang. At the age of 12, Rachel gave her debut public solo recital at the Kum-ho Arts Hall as part of the Prodigy Concert series. Her performances have included solo recitals and chamber concerts at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, the Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, the Bruno Walter Auditorium at Lincoln Center, the Kumho Art Hall, the Seoul Arts Center, the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, the Youngsan Art Hall, the Marc A. Scorca Hall, the Paul Hall at the Juilliard School, the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, and the LOTTE Concert Hall. Rachel has appeared as a soloist with several orchestras, including Korean National University of Arts Orchestra, Gangnam Symphony Orchestra, Rutgers Symphony Orchestra, The Juilliard Orchestra, and TBC Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra. The performances and interviews have been broadcast on Cleveland’s WCLV Radio, New Jersey’s WWFM, and Korea's KBS Classic FM Radio. Rachel has received many international awards from esteemed competitions in South Korea and U.S. Rachel's ongoing project since 2018 includes performing and recording the entire L.V. Beethoven’s 10 sonatas for piano and violin with renowned violinist Todd Phillips, a member of the highly acclaimed Orion String Quartet. The recordings of the series have been distributed by numerous online platforms including The Violin Channel, Classic 107.3, Kirshbaum Associates, Purchase College, Bard Conservatory, Skillman Digital Concert Series, and Orpheus Chamber Orchestra Broadcast.
Rachel received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance at the Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University under the tutelage of Min Kwon. She has completed her undergraduate and Master’s studies with Yoheved Kaplinsky and Matti Raekallio at the Juilliard School and Graduate Performance Diploma at the Peabody institute of The Johns Hopkins University with Yong Hi Moon.
An active chamber musician, Rachel is a member of piano ensemble At65. Outside of stage, she currently hold a position as a coordinator of undergraduate piano proficiency and a lecturer at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. Rachel is a co-founder of a non-profit organization, gatchi where she focuses on promoting new music of Asia and America.
A native of Seoul, Korea, Rachel graduated from Yewon Middle School and the Seoul Arts High School where she studied with Hae-Jeon Lee and Choong Mo Kang. At the age of 12, Rachel gave her debut public solo recital at the Kum-ho Arts Hall as part of the Prodigy Concert series. Her performances have included solo recitals and chamber concerts at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, the Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, the Bruno Walter Auditorium at Lincoln Center, the Kumho Art Hall, the Seoul Arts Center, the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, the Youngsan Art Hall, the Marc A. Scorca Hall, the Paul Hall at the Juilliard School, the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, and the LOTTE Concert Hall. Rachel has appeared as a soloist with several orchestras, including Korean National University of Arts Orchestra, Gangnam Symphony Orchestra, Rutgers Symphony Orchestra, The Juilliard Orchestra, and TBC Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra. The performances and interviews have been broadcast on Cleveland’s WCLV Radio, New Jersey’s WWFM, and Korea's KBS Classic FM Radio. Rachel has received many international awards from esteemed competitions in South Korea and U.S. Rachel's ongoing project since 2018 includes performing and recording the entire L.V. Beethoven’s 10 sonatas for piano and violin with renowned violinist Todd Phillips, a member of the highly acclaimed Orion String Quartet. The recordings of the series have been distributed by numerous online platforms including The Violin Channel, Classic 107.3, Kirshbaum Associates, Purchase College, Bard Conservatory, Skillman Digital Concert Series, and Orpheus Chamber Orchestra Broadcast.
Rachel received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance at the Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University under the tutelage of Min Kwon. She has completed her undergraduate and Master’s studies with Yoheved Kaplinsky and Matti Raekallio at the Juilliard School and Graduate Performance Diploma at the Peabody institute of The Johns Hopkins University with Yong Hi Moon.
An active chamber musician, Rachel is a member of piano ensemble At65. Outside of stage, she currently hold a position as a coordinator of undergraduate piano proficiency and a lecturer at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. Rachel is a co-founder of a non-profit organization, gatchi where she focuses on promoting new music of Asia and America.
