Biography

“To hear Cho breathe tenderness and freedom into this music while giving it a sturdy rhythmic profile was a striking thing”

San Francisco Chronicle

Seong-Jin Cho has established himself worldwide as one of the leading pianists of his generation and most distinctive artists on the current music scene. With an innate musicality and consummate artistry, his thoughtful and poetic, virtuosic, and colourful playing can combine panache with purity and is driven by an impressive natural sense of balance. He is celebrated unanimously across the globe for his expressive magic and illuminative insights.

Cho was brought to the world’s attention in 2015 when he won First Prize at the Chopin International Competition in Warsaw, and his career has rapidly ascended since. In early 2016, he signed an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon and, in 2023, Cho was awarded the prestigious Samsung Ho-Am Prize in the Arts in recognition of his exceptional contributions to the world of classical music. An artist high in demand, Cho works with the world’s most prestigious orchestras including Berliner Philharmoniker, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Wiener Philharmoniker, London Symphony Orchestra, Concertgebouworkest, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Conductors he regularly collaborates with include Myung-Whun Chung, Gustavo Dudamel, Daniel Harding, Andris Nelsons, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Gianandrea Noseda, Sir Antonio Pappano, Sir Simon Rattle, Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Esa-Pekka Salonen, and Lahav Shani. In the 2024/25 season Cho held the position of Artist in Residence with the Berliner Philharmoniker, and in 2025/26, was the London Symphony Orchestra’s Artist Portrait.

In the 2026/27 season, Seong-Jin Cho is Fokuskünstler with ProArte Hamburg, appearing in a series of projects across the season at Hamburg’s leading venues. Highlights include performances with the Czech Philharmonic under Semyon Bychkov, a duo recital with Augustin Hadelich, and a solo recital. Elsewhere, he notably returns to Berliner Philharmoniker with Elim Chan, Concertgebouworkest with Joana Mallwitz, Orchestre de Paris with Robin Ticciati, and Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks with Daniel Harding, performing the German premiere of Donghoon Shin’s Piano Concerto, written especially for him. In the US, Cho returns to major orchestras including Boston Symphony Orchestra with Andris Nelsons, and Cleveland Orchestra under Santtu-Matias Rouvali. On tour, following concerts in Taiwan and Japan in 2025/26, Cho reunites with Czech Philharmonic and Semyon Bychkov for a major European tour. He also appears in Korea with Wiener Philharmoniker and Tugan Sokhiev.

Highly sought after in recital, Cho appears in the world’s most prestigious concert halls including the main stage of the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Musikverein Wien, Alte Oper Frankfurt, KKL Luzern, Sala Santa Cecilia, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Rudolfinum, Suntory Hall Tokyo, Festival International de Piano de la Roque d’Anthéron, Carnegie Hall and Verbier Festival. In the 2024/25 season, Cho marked the 150th anniversary of Maurice Ravel’s birth by performing his complete solo piano music at venues including the Wiener Konzerthaus, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Barbican Centre London, Celebrity Series at Boston Symphony Hall, Walt Disney Hall Los Angeles, and Carnegie Hall. This season, he returns to major venues including Carnegie Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall Los Angeles, Vivo Performing Arts at Boston Symphony Hall, Berlin Philharmonie, Alte Oper Frankfurt, and makes his recital debut at the Baden-Baden Festspielhaus.

Cho’s most recent recording for Deutsche Grammophon celebrates Ravel’s 150th anniversary presenting the composer’s complete Solo Piano Works and Concerti, together with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Andris Nelsons. The project marks Cho’s first immersion into a single composer’s complete works, and the solo piano works were recognised with an Opus Klassik Award in the 2025 ‘Instrumentalist of the Year’ category. Previous releases include his solo album entitled ‘The Handel Project’ in 2023, and Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and Scherzi with the London Symphony Orchestra and Gianandrea Noseda in 2021. He previously recorded his first album with the same orchestra and conductor featuring Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 and the Four Ballades. His solo album ‘The Wanderer’ was released in 2020 and features Schubert’s ‘Wanderer Fantasy’, Berg’s Piano Sonata op. 1, and Liszt’s Piano Sonata in B minor. A solo Debussy recital was also released in 2017, followed by a Mozart album with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and Yannick Nézet-Séguin in 2018. All albums have been released on the Yellow Label and have garnered impressive critical acclaim worldwide.

Born in 1994 in Seoul, Seong-Jin Cho started learning the piano at the age of six and gave his first public recital aged 11. In 2009, he became the youngest-ever winner of Japan’s Hamamatsu International Piano Competition. In 2011, he won Third Prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow at the age of 17. From 2012-2015 he studied with Michel Béroff at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris. Cho is now based in Berlin.

SEASON 2026/27