Rufus Choi, pianist and educator, has seamlessly integrated his American upbringing and Korean heritage into his musical career, characterized by a distinctive international flair and a sense of wanderlust. His career is defined by passionate, sold-out performances across the globe and his dedication to teaching numerous internationally award-winning students and music aficionados.
Choi’s performances have spanned the United States, with his work featured on major television and radio stations such as ABC, CBS, KKGO, and WQXR. He has given solo recitals at prestigious venues including Lincoln Center, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, and Walt Disney Concert Hall. Highlights include a sold-out recital at Zipper Hall in Los Angeles to benefit the AMRON Foundation and a distinguished appearance at the “On Stage” Music Festival in Savannah, Georgia. He has also performed both Chopin Concerti with the South Bay Chamber Orchestra and was the featured soloist at the Redlands Summer Music Festival’s season finale complete with spectacular fireworks. Additionally, Choi has appeared with the Rapides Symphony Orchestra in Alexandria, Louisiana, and has performed at the Herbst Theatre in San Francisco, Pasadena’s Ambassador Auditorium, and Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Internationally, Choi has graced the stage at the prestigious Salzburg Festival in Austria, presented concerts and masterclasses in Nicosia, Cyprus, and performed at the Oxford Philomusica Festival in Oxford, England. He has performed at music festivals in Puigcerda, Spain, and Locarno, Switzerland, as well as giving solo recitals in Tours, France, and festival performances in Angoustrine and Osseja. In Germany, Choi performed Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto with the Göttingen Symphony Orchestra at the renowned Herrenhausen Gardens, a performance recorded for Hannover Musik Hochschule. In Frankfurt, he played Rachmaninoff’s 2nd Piano Concerto with the St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic under Juri Gilbo. Choi also triumphed at the Rovere D’Oro International Piano Competition in Italy and has toured South Korea multiple times, performing at the Seoul Arts Center, Hoam Art Hall, Busan Cultural Center, and Sejong Hall. In Mexico, he won top honors at the Parnassos International Piano Competition and performed in Monterrey. Choi has received the semi-finalist diploma at the International Liszt Piano Competition in Utrecht, as well as back-to-back diplomas at the International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow. In Taiwan, he won a major prize at the Taiwan International Piano Competition and performed with the National Symphony Orchestra at the National Chiang Kai-shek Concert Hall. He also claimed First Prize and the People’s Choice Award at the Jose Iturbi International Music Competition, which is renowned for offering one of the largest monetary prizes in the world.
Choi’s musical education reflects his diverse influences. He is notable among Korean-American pianists for his strong alignment with the Russian school of technique and artistry. He graduated from The Juilliard School (BM, MM) in New York City, where he studied with Oxana Yablonskaya, and earned a Soloklassen Diploma, the highest degree attainable, from Musik Hochschule Hannover in Germany under Vladimir Krainev.
In addition to his performing career, Choi is dedicated to sharing the beauty of music with his students and fostering their growth. Based in Los Angeles since 2007, he has taught and mentored pianists of all ages, many of whom have gone on to study at prestigious conservatories such as The Juilliard School, Eastman School of Music, New England Conservatory of Music, and Manhattan School of Music. As a highly sought-after masterclass teacher, he has led sessions in Beijing, China, at the Puigcerda Music Festival in Spain, and at universities in Busan and Seoul, South Korea, as well as in Southern California at the Orange County High School for the Arts and the Colburn School. His students have achieved top prizes and recognition in national and international competitions, including the Chopin International Piano Competition in Warsaw, Poland, the e-Piano Junior Competition, Gina Bachauer Junior Competition, National Chopin Competition of the United States, Arthur Fraser International Piano Competition, MTNA National Competition, MTAC State Competition, and many others.
In 2013, Choi founded the Moments of Music Foundation (www.momentsofmusic.org), a non-profit organization dedicated to providing music education and performance opportunities for adult avocational musicians. The foundation recently hosted the 4th Derek Jones Piano Concerto Competition, offering amateur pianists and piano teachers a rare opportunity to perform with an orchestra. The foundation continues to provide scholarships and performance experiences for musicians of all ages.
A major milestone in 2023 was the opening of the Salit Conservatory of Music in Burbank, California. Under Choi’s guidance, the conservatory aims to enrich the community through music and nurture artistic creation with both passion and precision.
Rufus Choi is a distinguished Steinway Artist and resides in Los Angeles with his wife, Ruth, and their three sons, Noah, Micah, and Nathanael. For more information, please visit www.RufusChoi.com.
