Samantha Cho – Friday, January 17 at 8 pm
Samantha Cho, piano
with special guest Alison Lee, piano
Monica Chew Tether World Premiere
Daixuan Ai Prelude After a Folk Song
Toru Takemitsu Rain Tree Sketch I & II
Edvard Grieg Lyric Suite, Op. 12
Earl Wild Virtuoso Etude No. 4, ‘Embraceable You’, after Gershwin
J. S. Bach Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring and Sleepers Awake for piano four-hands
Claude Debussy Petite Suite, L. 65
Korean-American pianist Samantha Cho is currently on the faculty at San Francisco Conservatory of Music and frequently performs in the Bay Area with members of the San Francisco Symphony. Samantha will perform an eclectic program featuring a world premiere by Oakland-based composer Monica Chew as well as music by Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu, Daixuan Ai, Edward Grieg and Earl Wild. Samantha will be joined by pianist Alison Lee in the second half, playing four hand compositions and arrangements by J. S. Bach and Claude Debussy.
Born in Los Angeles, Korean-American pianist Samantha Cho is active in the Bay Area as a recitalist, chamber musician and educator. She has performed on San Francisco Symphony’s Chinese New Year Concert, Live from WFMT, Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert in Chicago, Noontime Concert Series, Concerts at Presidio Chapel, and Seattle’s Classical KING. Highlights include being featured on NPR Live Sessions and ArteTV in Seoul, Korea. 2025-2026 appearances include solo and chamber music recitals at Ruthmere Museum Concert series, San Francisco Symphony’s Chamber Concert and Boston Court Pasadena.
An avid chamber recitalist, Samantha frequently collaborates with members of the San Francisco Symphony. Her performances have been broadcast on WFMT, Classical King FM, National Public Radio, KTSF 26, San Francisco Symphony + and NBC Bay Area. Also dedicated as an educator, Samantha is on the faculty at San Francisco Conservatory of Music and Southwest College. Prior positions include Associate Professor of Music at Cabrillo College.
Samantha received her Bachelor of Music at Northwestern University, Master of Music at Cleveland Institute of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts at University of Minnesota. Her childhood teacher, Robert Turner, was renowned as protegee of the Lhevinnes at the Juilliard School. She continued her studies with the following teachers: Paul Schenly, Kathryn Brown, Sylvia Wang, and Alexander Braginsky.