Jihwan Yoon

Jihwan Yoon is a composer and pianist from South Korea whose work explores human thought, emotion, and perception, as well as their transformation through time. By questioning musical, philosophical, and social phenomena, he reinterprets abstract concepts through sound, inviting listeners to engage with new perspectives. His music serves as a medium for dialogue, fostering connections between ideas, audiences, and the community.

Jihwan was awarded the Martinů Composition Prize from the Mannes School of Music in 2024, with his work performed by the Mannes Orchestra under the direction of Maestro David Hayes. As a composer with a strong connection to the piano, he won the Morton Gould Young Composer Award from the ASCAP Foundation (2019) and the Grand Award at the Pacific Rim Music Composition Competition (2024) with his compositions for piano solo, which led to his piece being published by the Royal Conservatory of Music Publishing. His

chamber music has been recognized as well, earning the Special Prize in the Junior Category at the International Antonín Dvořák Composition Competition (2017) and the First Prize at the Golden Key Music Festival in Composition (2015). His works have been performed by notable ensembles and orchestras such as JACK Quartet Mivos Quartet and Brasilia National Orchestra.

Alongside his work as a composer, Jihwan is also an active pianist who performs his own music and a wide range of repertoire, from contemporary works to classical masterpieces. In 2024, he gave a solo piano recital titled Peabody Korean Composers’ Night: Featuring Guest Pianist-Composer Jihwan Yoon, curated by Youngjun Lee, a composer with whom he shares a close musical connection. The program featured his own compositions alongside works by Korean composers from the Peabody Institute, showcasing his commitment to promoting contemporary music. That same year, he performed his solo piano work at the Leschetizky Association’s Live Music by Living Composers Concert, further establishing his role as a performer and composer. He was frequently invited to perform in the Mannes Sounds Festival, presenting his chamber works, solo piano pieces, and classical repertoire during his years at Mannes, and recognized for his contribution to piano performance with Steinway Award (2020). Through these performances, he continues to bridge the past and present, fostering a deeper appreciation for both historical and contemporary music. His excellence in music theory was recognized with the Felix Salzer Techniques of Music Award (2024). Currently, he serves as an Adjunct Faculty member in the Music Theory department at Hofstra University. In addition to teaching, he is an active collaborator, working as a Collaborative Pianist at the Manhattan School of Music Precollege. His musical career also includes service in the Republic of Korea’s Navy Symphonic Band, where he was proudly discharged after contributing as a pianist and band music arranger.

Jihwan earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees with honors, double majoring in Composition and Piano, and received guidance from renowned composers like Lowell

Liebermann and Robert Cuckson, and pianists Pavlina Dokovska and Vladimir Valjarević.