Dr. Rufus Choi

pianist, educator, and visionary, has crafted a musical career that
effortlessly blends his American upbringing with his Korean heritage, creating a unique and
captivating voice on the world stage. With a spirit of wanderlust that has taken him across
continents, Choi’s journey is marked by passionate performances, a deep commitment to
education, and a profound love for sharing the transformative power of music.
His concert experiences read like a world tour, with performances in some of the most
prestigious venues globally, as well as on major television and radio stations such as ABC,
CBS, KKGO, and WQXR. From the hallowed halls of Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall’s Weill
Recital Hall in New York to the grandeur of Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and
Pasadena’s Ambassador Auditorium, Choi's sold-out performances, including a memorable
recital at Zipper Hall to benefit the AMRON Foundation and a featured solo recital at the “On
Stage” Music Festival in Savannah, Georgia, are testaments to his exceptional artistry. His
collaborations with orchestras, such as performing both Chopin Concertos with the South Bay
Chamber Orchestra and as the soloist at the Redlands Summer Music Festival's season finale,
complete with spectacular fireworks, have left audiences in awe.

Choi’s international acclaim has taken him to some of the most celebrated stages around the
world, including the Salzburg Festival in Austria, where he showcased his artistry on a global
platform. He has also presented concerts and masterclasses at prestigious festivals like the
Oxford Philomusica Festival in England, as well as in Cyprus, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, and
France. A career highlight came when he performed Beethoven's Emperor Concerto with the
Göttingen Symphony Orchestra at the stunning Herrenhausen Gardens, a performance later
recorded for a CD album with the Hannover Musik Hochschule. In Frankfurt, Choi also
performed Rachmaninoff’s 2nd Piano Concerto with the St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic
under Juri Gilbo.

Choi has captivated audiences in South Korea, earning top honors as a First Prize winner at the
first-ever international piano competition in South Korea, the Han Romanson International Piano
Competition in Seoul. His performances at iconic venues in South Korea, such as the Seoul Arts
Center, Busan Cultural Center, Sejong Hall, and Hoam Art Hall, have further solidified his
reputation. In Mexico, Choi won a top prize at the Parnassos International Piano Competition
and performed with the Monterrey Symphony. He has also earned semi-finalist honors at the
International Liszt Piano Competition in Utrecht, as well as back-to-back diplomas at the
prestigious International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow. In Taiwan, he claimed a
major prize at the Taiwan International Piano Competition and performed with the National
Symphony Orchestra at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Concert Hall. His international
competition triumphs include major awards in Mexico, Taiwan, and Italy, culminating in a
remarkable First Prize and the People’s Choice Award at the prestigious Jose Iturbi International
Music Competition, which boasts one of the largest monetary prizes in the world.

Choi’s musical education is just as distinguished as his performance career. A graduate of The
Juilliard School (BM, MM) under Oxana Yablonskaya, Choi’s studies took him to the Musik
Hochschule Hannover in Germany, where he earned the coveted Soloklassen Diploma under
the mentorship of Vladimir Krainev. His artistic depth is influenced by his strong connection to
the Russian school of technique, tone, and artistry, a hallmark of many of his performances.
Beyond the stage, Choi has dedicated much of his life to teaching and mentoring the next
generation of pianists. Since moving to Los Angeles in 2007, he has shaped the careers of
students who have gone on to study at some of the most prestigious conservatories in the
world, including The Juilliard School, New England Conservatory of Music, Manhattan School of
Music, and the Eastman School of Music. His students have achieved top prizes and
recognition in national and international competitions, including the Chopin International Piano
Competition in Warsaw, Poland, the e-Piano Junior Competition, Gina Bachauer Junior
Competition, National Chopin Competition of the United States, Arthur Fraser International
Piano Competition, MTNA National Competition, MTAC State Competition, and many others.
As a sought-after masterclass teacher, Choi has inspired pianists across the globe, from Beijing
to Seoul and Busan, South Korea, and more locally in Southern California’s Orange County
High School for the Arts and the Colburn School.

In 2012, Choi founded the Salit Foundation (www.salitfoundation.org), a 501(c)(3) non-profit
organization dedicated to enriching lives through classical music, education, and artistic
development. The foundation provides training and performance opportunities through
programs like the Salit MasterClass Series, Encore Concert Series, and the Musician’s Platform.
One of its flagship events, the Derek Jones Concerto Competition, gives amateur pianists a rare
and invaluable opportunity to perform with a live orchestra. The foundation fosters collaboration
between world-class musicians, educators, and aspiring artists, creating a thriving musical
community.

The opening of the Salit Conservatory of Music in Burbank, California, in 2023 marked another
milestone in Choi’s mission to share the beauty of music with the community. The conservatory,
with its intimate 140-seat recital space, serves as a gathering place for artists, musicians, and
audiences to connect, inspire, and enrich each other's lives through the arts.
A distinguished Steinway Artist, Rufus Choi continues to push the boundaries of what music can
achieve, both on stage and in the studio. He resides in Los Angeles with his wife, Ruth, and
their three sons—Noah, Micah, and Nathanael—and remains committed to nurturing a new
generation of artists who will shape the future of classical music.