Cho-Hyun Park

Dr. Cho-Hyun Park is an internationally acclaimed pianist whose musical journey began in Korea. She pursued her studies at Seoul National University, working with several distinguished professors. Among them, her artistic direction was most profoundly shaped by HaeSun Paik, a celebrated pianist who studied in the United States from her youth and won both the Queen Elizabeth and Tchaikovsky Competitions. Paik’s mentorship inspired Dr. Park to pursue advanced studies abroad, leading to her acceptance at the University of Texas at Austin, where she earned both her Master’s and Doctoral degrees under the guidance of Gregory Allen, supported by multiple presidential scholarships.
During her time at UT Austin, Dr. Park cultivated a versatile career as both a soloist and collaborative pianist. She performed in numerous recitals, worked extensively with the undergraduate opera program, served as pianist for the UT Symphony and Wind Ensemble, collaborated with Ballet Austin as an improvisational pianist, and participated in the Austrian American Mozart Academy Summer Workshops. Her doctoral research, which combined Asian musical traditions with an analytical study of George Crumb’s piano works, received special recognition from the composition faculty Dr. Edward Pearson.
After settling in San Diego, Dr. Park continued her artistic refinement with the renowned pianist George Katz, who profoundly shaped her interpretation, technique, and repertoire. Under his mentorship, she achieved significant competition success, including her victory at the Bartók–Kabalevsky–Prokofiev International Piano Competition, which led to her acclaimed Carnegie Hall debut in 2015. Her performances have been praised for their sensitivity, intelligence, and expressive depth. She has also received the Most Distinguished Award at the IBLA Grand Prize Music Competition in Italy and the William Modica and Concetta Giordanella Modica Memorial Award from the IBLA Foundation.

Based in San Diego, Dr. Park maintains an active performance schedule as a soloist, collaborative artist, and chamber musician as a founding member of Trio Aquarelle. She teaches at her private studio in Poway, mentoring students who consistently achieve success in competitions, and serves as an instructor and accompanist in the Continuing Education at Mesa College.