A smart, dashing performer with an industry buzz created as much by his charismatic presence as by his work at the keyboard. Billboard
Pianist, composer, and creative force Hyung-ki Joo is redefining the concert experience, playfully blending storytelling with musical innovation to engage audiences beyond traditional classical formats. On stage, he enraptures audiences with his jovial and contagious stage presence as well as his energetic, brilliantly virtuosic performance. He takes on various musical roles, crafting special projects that highlight him as pianist, conductor, communicator, composer, and artistic director. As a soloist, he has performed with renowned orchestras such as the London Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, Sinfonia Varsovia, and the Wiener Symphoniker. In recent seasons, Hyung-ki Joo has appeared with orchestras such as the Orchestra of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Romanian Radio Orchestra, Trondheim Symphony, Zagreb Philharmonic.
Highlights have included his role as curator and director for the opening of the 2023 Wiener Festwochen, play/conducting the Hong Kong Sinfonietta in Haydn Seek, and collaborations with Tarmo Peltokoski and the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen as well as the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra. Together with Tarmo Peltokoski, Hyung-ki Joo also performed Lutosławski’s Paganini Variations as a piano duo. In the summer of 2025, he took part in the opening concerts for the new Busan Concert Hall in Korea and appeared at the Salzburg Festival alongside celebrated soprano Asmik Grigorian, where they presented their newly created show A Diva Is Born which was premiered at the Vienna State Opera a season earlier.
At the start of the 2025/26 season, Hyung-ki Joo and Asmik Grigorian continued their collaboration with a Lied recital at La Scala in Milan and have continued to perform A Diva is Born in Riga, Vilnius, and a re-invitation to the Vienna State Opera. Solo recitals will also take him to Switzerland, Norway, and Singapore. To close the season, he will premiere his new programme Piano vs. Orchestra, which explores the history of the piano concerto in collaboration with the Beethoven Orchestra Bonn under Dirk Kaftan.
His affinity for song repertoire has already led to collaborations with singers such as Sunhae Im, Dame Felicity Lott, Valentina Nafornița, Julian Prégardien, and Pretty Yende. Similarly, his love for chamber music has shaped Hyung-ki Joo’s musical career, leading to collaborations with artists including Renaud Capuçon, Martin Fröst, Janine Jansen, Mischa Maisky, Julian Rachlin, the Belcea Quartet, as well as members of the Alban Berg Quartet and the Quatuor Ébène. Beyond performing as a pianist and chamber musician, Hyung-ki Joo has collaborated with many artists outside the classical mainstream, such as jazz pianist Stefano Bollani, actor John Malkovich, and singer-songwriter Billy Joel, whose final studio album of solo piano pieces, Fantasies and Delusions, was arranged and recorded by Joo for Sony Classical. He has also appeared in several films, including Pianomania, And So It Goes, and Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Classical Music.
With his duo Igudesman & Joo, they ignited the internet with their inventive and hilarious videos combining classical music, comedy, and pop culture, and through their performances with major orchestras and iconic classical musicians, they not only brought laughter into concert halls worldwide, but also helped open the door to more adventurous and imaginative approaches to classical programming. At the end of 2025, the duo bid farewell to their fans worldwide with a major tour. Committed to nurturing young talent, he loves to work regularly with students, youth orchestras, and ensembles such as the Norwegian National Youth Orchestra, the Luxembourg Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Youth Orchestra of Tonhalle Düsseldorf. A passionate communicator, Hyung-ki Joo works to inspire the next generation of musicians. In his Beyond the Practice Room workshops, he places focus on the joy of making music and encourages participants to explore fresh directions beyond “conventional” performance. He is the recipient of an honorary doctorate from Manhattan School of Music, serves as a mentor at the Yehudi Menuhin School and is currently the Artistic Director of the Menuhin Competition for young violinists.
As a composer, Hyung-ki Joo’s works have been performed by orchestras, ensembles, and soloists such as the New York Philharmonic, Tonhalle Orchestra Zürich, Komische Oper Berlin Ensemble, Oslo Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony, Meta4, Emanuel Ax, Tine Thing Helseth, Daniel Hope, and Yuja Wang, and recorded by artists such as Shani Diluka and the Ahn Piano Trio. Last year, two albums featuring his music were released: the Miró Quartet’s Hearth (Pentatone) and Sun Hee You’s Circle (Piano Classics). His music is published by Universal Edition and Modern Works. Ever inventive, Hyung-ki Joo continues to bridge boundaries between art forms, transforming the way audiences experience classical music.