Winner of the prestigious “Neeme Järvi Prize ” at the 2018 Gstaad Music Festival & Academy , and 2nd prize winner of the NRTA (National Radio Television Albania) Conducting Competition 2019 and 3rd prize winner of the IONEL PERLEA International Opera competition 2021 (Romania), Andrew Joon Choi is a classically trained, Korean American Conductor based in Zürich, Switzerland.
He has had conducting opportunities and engagements with many orchestras throughout Europe including Switzerland: Sinfonieorchester Basel, Kammerorchester Basel, Basel Sinfonietta, Musikkollegium Winterthur, Gstaad Festival Orchestra // Liechtenstein: Sinfonieorchester Liechtenstein // Austria: ORF-Radio Symphonieorchester Wien// Finland: LEAD! Festival Orchestra // Czech Republic: Janáček Philharmonisches Orchester, Josef Kajetán Tyl Theater, Filharmonie Hradec Králové // Germany: Staatstheater Cottbus, Das Kurpfälzische Kammerorchester – Mannheim, Südwestdeutsche Philharmonie // Bulgaria: Pazadzjik Sinfonieorchester, Russe Philharmonisches Orchester.
Until January of 2020, he was the Assistant conductor of the Basel Sinfonietta, a renown contemporary arts organization bringing modern classical music closer to the audience using innovative and provocative programming. It is also known as the only organization of its kind, performing contemporary classical music for full orchestra, every program of the season.
Joon is also the founder, Music and Artistic Director at the recently launched, NOW Opera, a Zürich based opera organization working to bring fun and engaging opera productions into public venues, accessible for all.
Highlights of his 2019-21 season included concert debuts with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra at Wien Modern 2019 alongside Maestro Baldur Brönnimann at the Musikverein Vienna, as well as performances with the Basel Sinfonietta and the Sinfonieorchester Lichtenstein and renown soloists Claire Huangci (piano) and the Janoska Ensemble at the acclaimed Vaduz Classic 2021 in Vaduz Lichtenstein.
Highlights of his 2022 season included the Swiss premiere of the composer Olga Neuwirth’s work, “Die Stadt ohne Juden” with the Sinfonieorchester Basel, as well as conducting alongside world famous maestros: Jukka Pekka Saraste, Hannu Linthu, Dalia Stavenska and Esa Pekka Salonen at the LEAD! Music Festival in wiFiskars, Finland.
2022 and beyond, he makes his U.S debut with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra as well as planned concerts with the Opéra Orchestre Montpellier, the Berner Symphonieorchester, and the National Radio Orchestra Tirana Albania.
He is a graduate at the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste, under the tutelage of master pedagogue and conductor, Johannes Schaefli. Prior to his studies and activities in Europe, Joon studied Orchestral Conducting at the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore under the guidance of world class Maestro Marin Alsop, Gustav Meier and Markand Thakar.
