Press

CD Reviews

Gramophone Collector | Beethoven Piano Sonatas

Gramophone UK, August-2025 [Jed Distler]

“Op 10 No 1 finale that takes Beethoven’s optimistic Prestissimo directive on fundamentalist faith, capping one of this sonata’s greatest-ever recorded interpretations.”

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HieYon Choi’s Beethoven Sonata Cycle

Classics Today, June-2025 [Jed Distler]

“A heartfelt, intelligently proportioned and fully internalized interpretation (Op. 110)”

HieYon Choi’s Beethoven Complete Piano: Nos. 11, 17, 18, 22

Monthly Review KR, July-2025 [Yong-Won Sung]

“Her music restores clarity and a cool, invigorating freshness”

HieYon Choi’s Beethoven Complete Piano: Nos. 21, 30, 31, 32

Review Monthly KR, April-2025 [Yong-Won Sung]

“Her playing carries the breath of the great classical tradition embodied by Wilhelm Kempff and Wilhelm Backhaus”

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Beethoven Piano Sonatas Nos. 18, 26, 27, 30

Piano News DE, Vol.03/2019 [Carsten Dürrer]

“Choi is more than just at home with the linguistic ductus of this music. ”

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HieYon Choi’s New Album | Deeper Touch of Vienna

Dong-A Daily, January-2019 [Yoon-Jong Yoo]

“You’d want to keep at your side for years to come ”

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Concert Reviews

There’s more to Korean Music than K-pop

LA Times, June-2025 [Mark Swed]

“Juri Seo’s Concertino for Piano and Chamber Orchestra, given a dashing performance by pianist HieYon Choi”

Korean Composers Kick Off LA Phil’s Seoul Festival

San Francisco Classical Voice, June-2025

“The opening selection, Juri Seo’s Concertino for Piano and Chamber Orchestra, saw soloist HieYon Choi fling into action from the outset.”

HieYon Choi Recital – Bach Goldberg Variations

Monthly Review KR, Dec-2023

“The pianissimo tone was rich in Romantic sentiment. But that was just the beginning.”

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Beethoven’s sonata rhythmic and full of energy

Nordwest Zeitung, July-2022

“Diverse sound and Theme unfolds”

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Pastoral, Passionate Beethoven | THC New Year’s Concert

Monthly Music Journal KR, Feb-2022

“It made the audience rise above themselves.”

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Beethoven Captivated in Bagband

Ostfriesische Nachrichten, Juli-2017

“Her appearance was the „Awesome“ – in the true sense of the word itself.”

The World of Sound Space

Emder Zeitung, July-2016

“Almost limitless capacity”

As if Beethoven Himself Sitting at the Piano

Emder Zeitung, Aug-13-2015

“An extraordinary artist with the same extraordinary capacity in her solemn and reserved way”

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A Wild Fury over All Keys | Spectacular Experience of Highest Art of Piano

Ostfriesischer Kurier, Aug-13-2015

“HieYon Choi gave the audience a once-only experience.”

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Radiant Happiness after Perfect Presentation

Ostfriesen-Zeitung, July-27-2009

“The magical, almost elegiac parts were contrasted with the thundering fortissimo in orchestral sense which seemed to quake the church walls”

Royal Concertgebow Orchestra String Quartet and HieYon Choi

International Piano Monthly, April-2007

“HieYon Choi radiating with elegant refinement”

HieYon Choi Beethoven Piano Sonata Cycle 1

Joy Classic Monthly, May-2002 [Sang-Woo Han]

“Adamant rhythm with intensity, explosive and passionate touch”

Extraordinary capacity and freshness

Pianoforte Monthly, Dec-2000 [Jae-Eun Kim]

“The Korean ‘Clara Haskil’, HieYon Choi held the breath of the audience”

Pianist HieYon Choi

Eumak Chunchu Monthly, Dec-2000 [Sang-Woo Han]

“Her transcendent command of the instrument reached its pinnacle in her performance of Chopin Etudes. ”

Musical Depth Grounded in Clear Interpretation and Masterful Technique

Eumak Chunchu Monthly, Feb-2000 [Uzong Choe]

“Rare experience…musical sensation”

How Amazing that We have a Bach Performer of This Caliber

Korea Times, Jan-2000 [Jae-Jun Ryu]

“With a keen eye for the essence of the work and immense, painstaking discipline. One might even say it stands comparison with Glenn Gould”

Exams in the Spirit of Mozart

Frankfurter Rundschau, Sep-3-1997 [Hans-Klaus Jungheinrich]

“Hie-Yon Choi: a high-spirited, full of sentiment, eloquent up to every detail and precisely formulated interpretation, in the sovereign and at the same time reserved manner – as if perceived the spirituality of young Clara Haskil itself”

A Freshness Coming from Korea

Le Matin, Sep-1-1997

“Full of freshness and spontaneity who incidentally drew us to the spirit of Clara Haskil.”

Charm and Originality

Luxemburger Wort, Oct-24-1996

“Hie-Yon Choi broached dramatic peaks and unleashed impetuous storms with her superb phrasing and unfailing technique”

Thriller after Notes – Bach Goldberg and Beethoven Diabelli

Darmstädter Echo, Jan-30-1995

“It was overwhelming how this Korean held the audience under her spell with her maturity and diversity of interpretation. ”

14th International Piano Competition

Liberte de l’est, Mar-29-1993

“HieYon Choi, the South Korean, possessed a temperament of fire. ”

2 Pianists Share 2nd at Kapell

The Washington Post, July-20-1992

“Choi, who opened the evening with a fluent, precise and graceful performance of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4, gave the evening’s most impressive performance. ”

Kapell Finalists’ Choice of Music

The Washington Post, July-18-1992 [Kate Rivers]

“A brisk reading of Beethoven’s B-Flat Sonata, Op. 22, and Ravel’s “Gaspard de la Nuit” showed Choi capable of flexible, supple playing. She had lovely rich tone, with some beautiful shading”

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