Soo Jin Cha

Korean pianist Soo Jin Cha, born in 1985 and living in Austria, is the First Prize winner of the 2014 Rosario Marciano International Piano Competition, and she also received the Best Interpretation Prize of Chopin. In addition, she has won awards in numerous national and international piano competitions, such as 1st prize at the Chopin Junior Competition (2001), 1st prize and the ‘Special Prize by The Mayor of The City of Vienna’ at the Vienna International piano competition (2004), 2nd prize at the Bösendorfer Piano Competition (2007), 1st prize at the “Gradus ad Parnassum”(2010), where she also won the “Austrian Prize for Classical Music”, 2nd prize at the Delia Steinberg International Piano Competition (2013), 2nd Prize at the Premio Jaén International Piano Competition (2016) and 2nd prize at the Austrian Piano Open International Piano Competition (2017).

Soo Jin began her piano studies at age 11. She studied at Yewon Middle School and Seoul Arts High School with Julius Kim, Jaeun Koo and Juh Yon Lee in Korea. In 2002, she moved to Vienna and at the age of 16 entered the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. She studied with Professor Michael Krist and Professor Stefan Arnold and holds Bachelor and Master of Music Degree with the highest honors.

Since 2014, Soo Jin has been studying at the University of Music, Drama, and Media in Hannover with Professor Matti Raekallio and is currently pursuing her Solo Performance Course with Professor Olivier Gardon. Her studies in Vienna has been generously supported by the Herbert von Karajan Scholarship, Bösendorfer Scholarship, Vienna Beethoven Society, Cziffra Foundation.

She has performed the Gala concert of the “Gradus ad Parnassum” compeititon in world-renowned Vienna Konzerthaus Großer Saal and played Chopin Piano Concerto No. 1, Op.11 with Tonkünstler-Orchestra. Her performance was enthusiastically received, recorded, produced and radio- broadcasted.

Additionally, she has performed with well renowned orchestras such as Bruckner orchestra in Linz where she has made successful debut, and later with Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, Bucheon Philharmonic Orchestra, Webern Sinfonietta and Lutosławski Orchestra. Soo Jin has been travelling around the world, playing solo recitals, performing chamber music and excelled as a soloist with orchestras. She was invited by prestigious concert institutions.

“Soo Jin Cha ist eine liebenswürdige Pianistin, die Gefühl mit einer wahren, musikalischen Intelligenz verbindet. Ihre Interpretationen sind zugleich echt und gewinnend.“ – Olivier Gardon, Pianist

“Soo Jin Cha hat mit ihrem Schumann ihr überragendes Talent und Einfühlungsvermögen für diese Musik unter Beweis gestellt .Die technischen Schwierigkeiten im Werk meistert sie dabei geradezu fabulös.Es gelingt ihr die Schumanns’ eigene Innigkeit seiner Musik zu erwecken.“ – Donka Angatscheva-Maraszto, Pianist

“SooJin Cha, without any doubt, is among the most profiled Schumann interpreters of our time. Her performances combine spontaneous freedom and rhythmical stability with an impeccable technical mastery of theinstrument!” – Stephan Möller, Pianist

“Highest musicality, technical brilliance and perseverance, with pianist Soo Jin Cha!” – Oberösterreichische Nachrichten

“A poetically interpreted composition of Schumann.”- Oberösterreichische Nachrichten

“Her performance was very lively and fascinating.” – Chopin Magazin