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JAZZ PIANIST/ COMPOSER

YOONMI CHOI

PIANIST

Yoonmi Choi

ENGLISH

 

Yoonmi Choi is Music director/Jazz Pianist / Educater based on New Yotk and South Korea.


She was born in  Incheon, South Korea.
She received her education in classical and jazz piano at Sookmyung Women's University and Dong-ah Institute of Media and Arts College.


She moved Netherlands and took one more bachelor at Prince Claus Conservatoire and graduated with the highest performance score from 4 famous jazz pianists in Netherlands. And her original composition series "7 Days" got 2014 International Leiden Jazz  award in Netherlands.

 

As one-of-a-kind protege of the ivories, Yoonmi has graced the stage of over 300 venues in the Europe.  Some of her performance credits include  Brussels Marathon Jazz Festival (Belgium) and  she opened for the Dave Douglas Quintet at the Oosterport (Netherlands). She also had opportunities to play with some of great jazz musicians Alex Sipiagin, Gene Jackson, Tony Miceli and many others.


Yoonmi moved to New York in 2015.  She finished at Queens College(New York, USA) to complete her Master of Jazz performance. With the highest final performance score again.

After that She got great 
opportunity to work with  Grammy Nominated vocalist Concha Buika as a pianist and music director. Tour is included world famous festivals includied SF Jazz festival, New Port Jazz festival, NYC summer stage, Red Sea Jazz festival, Brave Music festival  and other great famous venues.

Now, She is playing in New York with her trio and working as a music director at 'Truffels jazz murder and mystery' musical show in Time square, Manhattan and Jazz ensemble director in Garden State Opera, Inc. Also she is playing with various band - Adel Experience, New York Nightingales , Lady and the vamps and Remo band.

Other performance credits:

 

New Port Jazz festival(USA), Carnegie Hall(New York), Red sea Jazz festival(ISrael), NYC Summer stage(New York), Mexico  Tajin Festival,  Idstein Jazz Festival (Germany), Jazz Time at Ampion (Netherlands), Swingin Groningen Festival (Netherlands), Brussels Marathon Jazz Festival (Belgium),  Rostov International Jazz Festival (Russia), JazzBoz Festival,  Leiden Summer Jazz Festival (Netherlands), Autumn Assen Jazz Festival (Netherlands),  ROKY Festival (Germany), Korea Jazz wave Festival, Buk-chon Art Festival, Jandari Festa, Chun-cheon Art Festival(Korea), Suwon Jazz Festival, Chilpo Jazz Festival, Daejun Jazz Festival TawhaKang JAzz Festival and Ulsan Jazz festival (Korea).

Awards:

 

2010 Hoseo University CCM Competition (2nd Place),  
2014 International Leiden Jazz Ceompetition Award (Winner),

 2017 International Virtual Jazz Contest(4th place).

 

KOREAN

 

 한국 숙명여대에서 클래식 피아노를 전공했으나,
이후 재즈로 방향을 바꿨다.
 

 네덜란드 ‘Prince Claus Conservatoire’와 뉴욕시립대에서 최고 실기점으로 졸업했다. 유학기간 중 레이든 국제 재즈 콩쿨에서 단독 우승한 바 있으며 미국 Garden State Opera, Inc의 Jazz Department 디렉터로 스카웃되어 아티스트비자로 음악감독이자 피아니스트로 뉴욕에 뿌리를 내렸다. 타임스퀘어 Swing 46에서 진행하는 Production Girl Behind the Curtain, 오프브로드웨이 뮤지컬 음 악감독으로 동시 발탁되기도 했다.
 

New York Ginger and Honey BigBand를 창설함과 동시에 트리오 활동을 병행하며 여러 음악 프로젝트에 합류하여 뉴욕 전역에서 활동하였다. 특히 2019년, 에이전시 B by B의 그래미 노미니 보컬리스트 Concha Buika 피아니스트이자 음악감독 으로 선정되었고 프랑스, 스페인, 포르투칼, 캐나다, 멕시코, 아프리카, 독일, 네덜란드 등 10개국 이상 20개 도시에서 세계 유명 음악 공연장과 페스티벌에서 공연을 펼쳤다.
 

 이탈리아 시스티나 천장에 있는 미칼렌젤로의 ‘천지창조’ 작품에 감명받아  작곡한 7개의 작품은 뉴욕 부르클린에서 녹음되어, 2020년 8월 Grammy Awarded 사운드 엔지니어 David Darlington의 믹싱으로 마침내 뉴욕 소재 레이블 Next Level 에서 2021년 5월에 발매되었다.
 

 한국으로 돌아온 2021년에는 인천문화재단 창작지원사업에 선정되어  통해 결성한 Choi’s Watlz 앙상블은 왈츠곡을 주제로한 크로스오버 음악을 연주로 한 해동안 예술의 전당, 트라이보울, 울산재즈페스티벌, 정서진음악콘서트, 춘천예술공연제 시그니처 선정 등 다채로운 경력을 세웠다.
 

 같은해 The Bliss Korea - 1950년대 한국에 들어온 대표적 신나는 재즈 Swing 음악을 기반으로 새롭게 현대적으로 해석한 밴드의 리더로 2021 Seoul Music Week Showcase 선정, 부천음악콘텐츠 협회 MFB 프로젝 트 우승, 인천트라이보울 CHOICE 음악 단체 선정 및 예술의전당, 인천문화예술회관, 남동소래울아트홀, 태화강재즈페스티벌, 칠포재즈페스티벌, 재즈인대구 페스티벌, 대전재즈페스티벌, 수원재즈페스티벌 등 그 짧은 일년간 다수 음악제에 초대받아 대중들의 귀를 사로 잡았다.

현재는 뉴욕아트프로덕션 대표로 예술의 본질과 대중의 귀를 사로잡는 여러 프로젝트를 통해 여러 아티스트를 세우고 장려하며, 인천 서구 문화재단 문화위원회를 비롯해  청년정책위원회 위원으로 예술계 전역으로 활발히 활동하고 있다.

Leiden Jazz Award
Leiden, Netherlands

​Yoonmi Choi has excellent technique. Her Original compositions which includes her own sound were wide rage for everyone. Her playing is creative and exciting. Concert was fantastic from the beginning to the end.

Charlie Crooijmans
Journalist at VPRO Vrije Geluiden, World Music Forum

Coming from and going to these melodies is done with unexpected turns, suspense and playful improvisations.

Fernando R. De Mondesert
Journalist at All About Jazz,
Direcotr of Jazz en Dominicana

The excellent piano work from Choi that turns this one into a winner. The way she uses both hands is outstading.

Marc Van Roon
Europian Jazz Trio Pianist, Netherlands

Yoonmi Choi is bright, energetic, compassionate and creative. I recommend her music and performances in her strongest terms for everyone seriously interested in the development of modern jazz piano.

Concha Buika
Latin Grammy Awards 2010

I have a strong interest in YoonMi’s upcoming releases and hope to work with her in the near future. And I know many other main artists and colleagues of ours all professionals look forward to working with her as well.

David Berkman
Jazz pianist, Prof. Aaron Copland School of Music

I can verify that Yoonmi’s playing and composing are first rate. She is extremely talented and has unlimited potential to continue developing into a world-class jazz musician.

Sonia Carrion
The Girl behind the Production CEO, Founder

She knows countless styles of music, and is able to intuitively fill out each thematic musical change throughout the show perfectly. Her deep knowledge of music combined with her huge network of top quality musicians in New York City has brought a level of quality and and reliability to our orchestra that we could only dream of.

CHRIS SPECTOR,
Editor and Publisher Midwest Record

She is a piano ace with a sweeping and grand style.
When it comes time for some solid, serious sitting down listening, let her lead the way. Hot stuff that hit's the mark.

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