Biography

Dr. Sophia Soyoung Jung is a distinguished Korean pianist, recognized for her work as a soloist and chamber musician across North America, Europe, and South Korea. She has received numerous accolades, including First Prize at the Pittsburgh International Piano Competition and Honorable Mention at the Marian Garcia International Piano Competition. As the winner of the Philharmonic Orchestra Concerto Competition at The Pennsylvania State University, she performed Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Penn State Philharmonic Orchestra.

Since 2005, Dr. Jung has cultivated a thriving career as an educator, mentoring students from young beginners to advanced performers. With over 15 years of experience, she has developed a comprehensive teaching approach that emphasizes technical precision, artistic expression, and professional musicianship. Her students have consistently excelled in competitions and festivals, many gaining admission to prestigious conservatories and universities. Dr. Jung’s expertise extends to guiding advanced students in areas such as repertoire interpretation, tonal refinement, and performance readiness. As a former piano instructor at Penn State University, Dr. Jung taught both music majors and non-majors, providing advanced instruction in piano performance, tonal harmonization, transposition, improvisation, and sight-reading. She led both individual applied piano lessons and group classes, preparing students for professional careers in music and enhancing their overall musicianship through a structured and challenging curriculum.

Her performance career includes appearances at prominent venues such as Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York City, Teatro Jovellanos and Jardín Botánico in Spain, Friedham Concert Hall, Griswold Hall, Eisenhower Auditorium, and New Recital Hall in University Park, PA, as well as Daegu Concert House and Suseong Artpia Yong-Ji Hall in South Korea. Dr. Jung has been invited to perform as a guest artist at the José Luís Vega International Piano Festival in Spain and the Wildflower Music Festival in Pennsylvania. Additionally, she has participated in prestigious international festivals, including the Gijón International Piano Festival in Spain, the Beethoven Institute of Summer Music Festival in New York, and the Paris École Normale International Piano Festival in France.

Dr. Jung earned her Master of Music from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University under the tutelage of Brian Ganz and her Doctor of Musical Arts and Professional Performance Certificate from Pennsylvania State University, where she studied with Dr. Jose Ramon Mendez and Dr. Timothy Shafer. She has also benefited from masterclasses and guidance by renowned pedagogues such as Robert MacDonald, Alexander Kobrin, Logan Skelton, Gilbert Kalish, Enrico Elisi, Spencer Myer, and Mikhail Alexandrov.