Sharon Gayoung Cho

Dr. Sharon Gayoung Cho has emerged as a distinctive solo voice on international stages, recognized for her commanding artistry, tonal elegance, and expressive sophistication. She has performed across Europe, Asia, and the United States, appearing at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, Lincoln Center, the Vienna Musikverein and Konzerthaus, and the Austrian Presidential Palace, where she was invited to perform for the President of Austria and the Archbishop of Vienna. Her playing has been praised for its lyrical clarity and depth, shaped by a refined European sensibility and a modern interpretive vision.

A sought-after leader, Dr. Cho has served as concertmaster of the Rutgers Symphony Orchestra, the Yale Philharmonia, and Vienna’s Anton von Webern Orchestra, including highly acclaimed performances under Riccardo Muti. As a soloist and competition laureate, she has been honored by the New York Artists International Competition, Premio Città di Padova, the Vivo International Music Competition, the Gavrillin International Competition, and the Rutgers Concerto Competition, broadcast live on WWFM.

At fifteen, she entered the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna as the youngest student in her class, later earning Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Postgraduate degrees, followed by an Artist Diploma from the Yale School of Music and a Doctor of Musical Arts from Rutgers University, all on full scholarship. Her artistic lineage includes Dora Schwarzberg, Ani Kavafian, and Todd Phillips, with additional mentorship from Midori, Cho-Liang Lin, Donald Weilerstein, and members of the Tokyo, Hagen, and Artis Quartets.

Dr. Cho currently serves on the faculty of the Summit Music Festival and maintains an intentionally selective private studio. She is also the founder of the Music Matters Lab Collective, a nonprofit dedicated to musical access and excellence. Her festival appearances include the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, Accademia di Musica d’Estate, the Mendelssohn Summer School, IKA-Goslar, and the Accentus Musical Festival.