Bienen School of Music Appoints Associate Professor of Violin

South Korean violinist Jinjoo Cho will assume the role, effective as of September 1, 2024

First-prize winner of the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis and Concours musical international de Montréal, in addition to Buenos Aires, Schoenfeld, and Stulberg Competitions, Jinjoo Cho has toured on international concert stages since the age of 11. 

She has appeared with ensembles such as the Cleveland Orchestra, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Deutsche Radio Philharmonic, Orquesta Clásica Santa Cecilia de Madrid, Ensemble Appassionato, Seoul Philharmonic, and collaborated with conductors including James Gaffigan, Kent Nagano, JoAnn Falletta, Mathieu Herzog, Peter Oundjian, and more. 

In chamber music, she has shared the stage with Gary Hoffman, Andreas Ottensamer, Ray Chen, Itamar Golan, Roger Tapping, Jaime Laredo, Sharon Robinson, Vadim Gluzman, and Clive Greensmith. In 2021, she formed Trio Seoul with pianist Kyu Yeon Kim and cellist Brannon Cho.

Currently, she is the founding artistic director of ENCORE Chamber Music Institute and assistant professor of violin at the Schulich School of Music at McGill University. 

Previously, she served on the violin faculties of the Oberlin Conservatory and the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she holds degrees and studied with Paul Kantor and Jaime Laredo. 

Most recently, Cho served on the jury panel of competitions such as the Indianapolis and Schoenfeld competitions, and on the screening committee of the Montréal and Premio Paganini competitions. 

Among her recordings include those on the Naïve Classique, SONY Classical, Azica, and Analekta record labels; in 2021, her first book, “Shine Someday,” was listed as a best seller on major book platforms in Korea.

Her other projects include commissioning new works by composers Juri Seo and Andrew Rindfleisch and collaborating with multidisciplinary artists such as dancer and choreographer Jinyeob Cha. 

“Jinjoo Cho’s resume as a performer is distinguished in its own right, but she is equally impressive as an educator,” said the dean of the Bienen School of Music, Jonathan Bailey Holland in the press release. “Her forward-looking energy, rigorous yet supportive pedagogical approach, and creativity will complement and strengthen the Bienen School faculty. We are thrilled to welcome her to Northwestern.”