Short Bio
Ciao! Thanks for visiting my website. I began playing the piano at the early age of 3 via the Suzuki Method. Early on, it was an activity among activities, but by junior high, and definitely by high school, it had become an increasingly important part of my life. I went on to study music at The University of North Texas (B.M.) and Northwestern University (M.M) and eventually won a handful of national and international music competitions that launched my career as a concert pianist. The most important among these was the 1997 Naumburg International Piano Competition in New York City.
I’ve appeared as soloist with over fifty symphony orchestras, headlined at major jazz clubs throughout the world, and composed and arranged music in both the classical and jazz genres. I’ve released five albums (see below for streaming info) and have been featured in the Chicago Tribune, the New York Times, Downbeat magazine and in the 2010 book, The New Face of Jazz.
In 2008, I began teaching at Loyola University Chicago where I’d ultimately become an Associate Professor of Music, and the Director of the music program. In 2014, I was awarded The Edwin T. and Vivijeanne F. Sujack Award for Teaching Excellence, “the very highest honor that the Loyola University College of Arts and Sciences bestows for the very best in teaching and research.”
In 2022, after 14 years of teaching at Loyola and a lifetime of music making, my wife Joanne and I decided to move to Southern California to tackle new challenges and focus on our business, The Korean Vegan. I’m enjoying an extended break from professional music making, and not sure what the future holds in that regard, but I’m playing regularly at home and steadily, albeit slowly, releasing some of my scores.