Hannah Cho
President, Founder
Hannah Cho is a rising senior at Pacific Academy and a full scholarship (Thibaudet Scholarship) student at Colburn Music Academy. She has been recognized as a National YoungArts 2023 finalist, first place winner in the U.S. Navy Band Young Artist Solo Competition, and the California MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) Senior performance competition, second place winner in the National MTNA competition, National Vancouver Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition, U.S Army Orchestra Young Artist Competition, amongst others. As a chamber musician, soloist, and orchestral musician appearing with the NYO2 2022 Orchestra and Principal of the 2022 NAfME All-National Symphony Orchestra, she has played in various halls across the countries multiple times, including the New World Center, Merkin Hall, Nixon Library, and Carnegie Hall. In addition, she performed the Marcello Oboe concerto this May with the U.S. Navy Band as a follow-up to her 1st place finish in their Young Artist Solo Competition.
She currently studies with Eugene Izotov at Colburn Music Academy and Pacific Symphony oboist Ted Sugata. She previously studied with Curtis faculty and Baltimore Symphony Principal Katherine Needleman on a scholarship, and Santa Monica Symphony Principal Victoria Lee. She has attended masterclasses with Curtis faculty and Philadelphia Principal Philippe Tondre, Juilliard Faculty, and MET opera Co-Principals Nathan Hughes and Elaine Douvas, amongst others.
Honors, Awards, and Scholarship
2024 National MTNA (Music Teachers National Association), Second place
2023-2025 Merit-Based Full Scholarship (Thibaudet Scholarship) from Colburn Music Academy
2023 National YoungArts Competition, Finalist, Participated in the 2023 National YoungArts Week in Miami
2023 U.S. Army Orchestra Young Artist Competition, Second Place
2023 US Navy Band's Young Artist Solo Competition, First Place, Performed as the Featured Soloist with the US Navy Band
2022 OCSA Concerto Competition Winner, Performed a Solo Concerto with OCSA Symphony Orchestra
2022, 2023 California and Divisional MTNA, First place
2022 Young Artist Competition of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra USA, Silver Medal
2022 From the Top, Finalist, Featured in Daily Joy in December 2022
2022 Katherine Needleman (Curtis Faculty, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Principal) Scholarship Winner
2022 Midwest Double Reed Society’s Eric Varner Young Artist Competition, First Place
2022 US Navy Band's Young Artist Solo Competition, Second place
2022 Music International Grand Prix competition, First Place, Performed at the Winner’s Recital at Merkin’s Hall, Received a Scholarship for the 2023 Interlochen Summer Program
2021 Outstanding Middle School Student in Orange County School of the Arts Symphonic Band
2021 Mount San Antonio College Solo Competition, Grand Prize
2021 MTNA (Music Teachers National Association), National Finalist & Third Place
2021 MTNA (Music Teachers National Association), California State and Southwest Division, First Place
2020 American Protégé International Woodwinds & Brass Competition, First Place
2020 East Coast International Competition, First Place
2018 Musical Arts Competition of Orange County Competition (MACOC), First Place, Performed at the Winner's Recital at Richard M. Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, CA.
Ensembles and Programs
2022-2023 Domaine Forget de Charlevoix International Music and Dance Academy, Oboe Session
2021-2023 Orange County School of The Arts Symphonic Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Principal Oboist
2020-2023 California All-State Junior High and High School Band and Orchestra
2022 All-National Symphony Orchestra, Principal Oboist
2022 Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra 2 (NYO2)
2021-2022 Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra
2019-2022 Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association’s (SCSBOA) Honor Orchestra.
2021 Juilliard Summer Winds program, Oboe Session
2019-2021 Orange County School of The Arts Concert Orchestra, Symphonic Band, Principal Oboist
2018-2019 Pioneer Middle School Concert Band, Principal Oboist
Through Empowering Arts, Hannah hopes to spread the joy that music and the arts bring to her, and back to the community. In addition to being an oboist, she plays English horn and serves as an oboe teacher to two Santa Ana School District elementary students as part of the Empowering Arts' Music Education and Mentorship Program.