2024 Adjudicators

Canadian violist and violinist, Samuel Choi pursues a multifaceted music career as a teacher, chamber musician, orchestral musiciana and arts administrator. Choi holds Master of Music Degree from the Colburn Conservatory of Music, Artist Diploma from the Glenn Gouls School of Music and Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of Toronto. Choi is currently the Artistic Director of the OYMI Music Festival and the OYMCO. In 2022, Choi was appointed Principal Viola of the Ontario Philharmonic Orchestra by Maestro. Marco Parisotto, the former Principal Conductor of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra.

As an orchestral and chamber musician, Choi has worked and performed with world renowned conductors and artists such as Gustavo Dudamel, Esa Pekka Salonen, Sir Andrew Davis, Stephane Deneve, Peter Oundjian, Gabor Tackacs Nagy, Leon Fleischer, James Ehnes, Jan Vogler, Andras Keller, Rachel Barton Pine and many others.

A passionate believer in music education and outreach, Choi was a chamber music coach at the Senior Division of the Phil and Eli Taylor Performance Academy of the Royal Conservatory of Music. Choi's current and former students have been accepted into McGill University Schulic School of Music, University of Toronto Faculty of Music, University of British Columbia School of Music and have won top prizes in Toronto Kiwanis, North York and OYMI Music Festivals. Choi is deeply grateful to his teachers Paul Coletti, Jurgen Weber, Teng Li, Steven Dann, Jonathan Crow, Timothy Ying, Dennis Kim, Barry Shiffman, Mate Szucs and Kelly Parkins Lindstrom.