Instrument: cello
Born in 1985, cellist Arnold Choi has already performed to great acclaim throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. A prizewinner at Korea’s Gyeongnam (Isang Yun) International Music Competition, Mr. Choi has also won First Prize at the Pasadena Showcase Instrumental Competition, the Kingsville International String Competition (junior division), the Canadian National Music Festival, and the OSM Standard Life Competition, among others. In the summer of 2008, Mr. Choi received the Grand Prize at the International Stepping Stone competition in Quebec City.
Mr. Choi has had the opportunity to solo with major orchestras around the world including the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, the Okanagan Symphony, Calgary Civic Symphony, the Calgary Philharmonic, the Orchestre symphonique de Québec, the Shanghai Opera House Orchestra, and the Schleswig-Holstein Orchestra. In addition, at the age of 14, he performed the Elgar Concerto with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, and was invited to give a solo recital tour throughout Mexico sponsored by the Canadian Music Competition and the Alberta Foundation for the Arts.
A versatile performer, Mr. Choi continues to remain active in all fields of classical music, from orchestral to chamber music. In the summer of 2005, he acted as Principal Cellist of the Schleswig-Holstein Festival Orchestra during their tour of Japan and Germany. In this capacity, he worked with such artists as Christoph Eschenbach, Kent Nagano, Christopher Hogwood, and Midori.
Mr. Choi is a founding member of the Janaki String Trio (with violinist Serena Mckinney and violist Katie Kadarauch), which received the Grand Prize at the prestigious Coleman Chamber Music Competition in 2005, and at the Concert Artists Guild International Competition in 2006. Since then, the Janaki Trio has become one of the fastest rising young chamber ensembles. The trio has performed and toured extensively throughout the United States, playing in major chamber music venues including Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall and the Kennedy Centre. The Janaki Trio has also toured Australia, and has performed at the American Academy in Rome. Mr.
Choi and the Janaki Trio released their debut album on Yarlung Records in 2006 to great acclaim from the New York Times and the New Yorker. They released their second album, The Vanhal Quartets for Flute and Strings, on the Naxos label in 2007.
Mr. Choi began playing the cello at the age of five, and studied with John Kadz at the Mount Royal College Conservatory for twelve years. He has received his Bachelor of Music degree from the Colburn Conservatory in Los Angeles under the tutelage of Ronald Leonard, and will be enrolling at the Yale School of Music to pursue a Master’s degree with Aldo Parisot in the fall.
Mr. Choi plays on a Carlo Tononi 1725 (Venice) cello, on loan from an anonymous donor.