Meet Jinjoo Cho | Violin Soloist & Artistic Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jinjoo Cho and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jinjoo, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
In a way, it wasn’t my intention to pursue an artistic career. I started playing the violin at 5, and I loved it. It was fun to be physically active while processing notes and music in my brain, so it felt like “playing”, more than anything else. And I progressed so much faster than everyone in the program that a path to becoming a professional performer was presented by my teachers and parents pretty early on. At that point, my path almost felt pre-determined, and I accepted the fate.

Later on, I slowly processed what it means to lead an artistic life deliberately. I relate to a lot to great artists of the past and present, and I love the idea of devoting myself to something bigger than myself. I think that being an artist is truly a lifestyle and it’s a privilege to have that lifestyle extended to my career. I consider myself very lucky to be able to sustain my livelihood by doing something I cherish doing.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a classically trained concert violinist–traveling and performing solo and chamber music repertoire in some of the most historic venues across United States, Canada, Europe and Asia like the Carnegie Hall in NY. I’m currently a professor at McGill University in Montreal, and moving to Chicago to start teaching at Northwestern University in the fall!

In 2015, I founded a non-profit organization: ENCORE Chamber Music Institute. We present an annual summer festival that combines speaker events, concerts, and education programs together. The festival combines all of my passions–performing, teaching, and bringing a community together around music. I love that the festival has become a site where talented young musicians, world-class performers, and our amazing community of supporters, volunteers, and collaborators make life-long connections.

Pursuing a professional career in classical music takes a certain kind of a person. You need commitment as an artist, discipline to practice the instrument for hours on end every day, and
entrepreneurial skills to manage and expand your career. But it’s really the love of music that carries you. I am deeply and unconditionally in love with this particular form of artistic expression! There is nothing like performing masterworks that transcend time, bringing life to these pieces and sharing their beauty with people. It is a privilege to be able to do what I love for a job, and working hard is a worthy price to pay. There have been hard days, sure, but I genuinely feel incredibly grateful to live a full life as a working musician.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Here is a perfect day on the west side Cleveland–Pick up coffee from Rising Star or Duck Rabbit Coffee to take a nice morning stroll at Lakewood Park. We could check out an exhibition at Transformer Station or SPACES before having lunch at Banana Blossom Thai Cuisine or Larder Delicatessen and Bakery. Check out some boutique shops in the Ohio City area with Mitchell’s Ice Cream. Spend the afternoon at the Cleveland Art Museum, Botanical Garden, or the Cleveland Natural History Museum before going to a lecture/concert presented by ENCORE. We can finish the night by having a classy dinner and wine at Le Petit Triangle Cafe or L’albatros. If we feel like it, we could follow up with cocktails at Amba or TOAST!

I lived on the west side for a while so I’d be eager to show all the charms of the Ohio City/Tremont eateries plus some cultural activities in the University Circle!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The classical music community is like a co-op; we are constantly helping and supporting each other to co-exist within the industry. So it’s hard to pick just one person, organization, or inspiration that shaped me to become who I am. At every concert, there are special people present. There are so many organizations that I owe a pivotal point in my career, as well as the organization I founded, ENCORE Chamber Music Institute, which has had a HUGE presence in my life.

But I would say that my teachers violinists Jaime Laredo and Paul Kantor are probably the biggest influences overall. They taught me not only how to appreciate music and art but also how to love and be kind to others. I’m eternally grateful for their continued guidance throughout it all.

Website: www.jinjoocho.com, www.encorechambermusic.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cinnamon_jinjoo/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/imaginarium.de.jinjoo/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/cinnamonthemusician

Image Credits
For Jinjoo’s publicity photo credit to Kyutae Shim For ENCORE photos credit to Will Slabaugh