Judith Choi-Castro

 

Spanish-South Korean violinist Judith Choi-Castro enjoys a versatile career performing internationally as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestra player. She also collaborates in making recordings with other artists, enjoys teaching violin and is the artistic director of the Festival y Academia de Música Internacional in Tenerife.

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Judith was born in the Canary Islands, Spain and at the age of 17 moved to London where she graduated with a BMus (Hons) degree and a Masters degree from the Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music. She also studied in Manhattan School of Music in New York. Her Professors include Maurice Hasson, Mayumi Fujikawa, and Stephanie Gonley.

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During her studies she won Hatfield Music Festival 1st prize, J.E Motimer award from Martin Musical Scholarship Foundation, award from Rondo Music society, a violin by Lavazza from Italy c.1740 was kindly on loan by the Harrison Frank Foundation and played in international competitions where she came finalist at the Llanes International Competition, Móstoles Violin Competition in Madrid and “Concurso de Intercentros de España”.

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Highlighted concerts and touring include: the Stockhausen Donnerstag aus Licht with the London Sinfonietta at the Royal Festival Hall in London (2019); Japan and Russian tours with the London Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Vladimir Jurowski (2017 & 2018); Beethoven Cycle symphonies at the Barbican in London conducted by Thomas Adès (2019); BBC Proms concerts with Britten Sinfonia, Chineke!, London Philharmonic, and BBC Symphony Orchestras at the Royal Albert Hall; Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima in Royal Festival Hall under the baton of Krzysztof Penderecki, EUYO Europe Tour conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy, etc.

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Venues where she appeared as a chamber musician include: Lincoln Center, New York, St. Martin in the Fields, Fairfield Halls, Fitz William Museum in Cambridge, The National Gallery as part of the Belle Shenkman Music Program and Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. As a soloist she has appeared with Southbank Sinfonia in Italy and Magec Camerata in Spain.

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Judith has played in Music Festivals including Aurora in Sweden, Alps in France, Strictly Strings in South Korea, MMCJ Japan, Kronberg Academy in Germany, and Caneti in Portugal, and has received masterclasses from Alan Gilbert, Midori Goto and Dong Suk Kang.

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In 2015, Judith recorded her solo debut album “Assorted Encores” sponsored by the Ayuntamiento de Candelaria, in Tenerife. She has also recorded orchestra albums including the Carpenters with the Royal Philharmonic in Abbey Road, or the Mozart concertos with Alessio Bax and the Southbank Sinfonia with Signum Classics among others.  

 

Judith has a great interest in Contemporary music and collaborates often with modern composers. Aside classical music, she likes to explore pop and folk music. Highlight’s collaborations include performing with Quincy Jones and Burt Bacharach.

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Judith is also a keen teacher. She holds a LRAM teaching diploma from the Royal Academy of Music and enjoys educational outreach work