Violinist Nikki Chooi is a recipient of prizes at the Queen Elizabeth and Tchaikovsky Competitions, and was awarded 1st Prize Winner of the Montreal Symphony’s ManuLife Competition, the Klein International Strings Competition, and the Michael Hill International Violin Competition.
Mr. Chooi has recently performed at the Harris Theater in Chicago, Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, Carnegie Hall and Kauffman Center in New York, Koerner Hall in Toronto, and Place des Arts in Montreal, and appeared as soloist with orchestras across Canada and internationally with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, National Arts Centre Orchestra, Louisiana Philharmonic, St. Petersburg State Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Wallonie, National Orchestra of Belgium, Auckland Philharmonia, Malaysian Philharmonic, and Hong Kong Philharmonic.
Mr. Chooi has been featured at many international festivals with performances at the Marlboro, Ravinia, Dresden, Rockport Chamber Music, and Moritzburg Festivals, La Jolla Summerfest, Vancouver Recital Series, Kammermusik Utrecht, Olympus Festival in Russia, Chamber Music New Zealand, and Fundación Beethoven in Chile. He was previously a member of the multi-genre ensemble Time for Three.
As concertmaster of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in 2016–17, Mr. Chooi’s solos can be heard through The Met: Live in HD broadcasts in productions of Verdi’s La Traviata, Janacek’s Jenufa, and the Grammy-nominated recording of Strauss’ Rosenkavalier released on the Decca Label. He has appeared as guest concertmaster with the symphonies of Pittsburgh, Houston, and Sydney, and is currently concertmaster of the Grammy-award winning Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.
A passionate educator, Mr. Chooi is currently on the violin faculty at University of Ottawa and has presented masterclasses at the San Francisco Conservatory, Morningside Music Program at the New England Conservatory, Orchestra of the Americas Academy, Sphinx Academy at the Curtis Institute of Music, Hong Kong Cultural Center, and the University of Auckland.
Mr. Chooi began his studies at the Victoria Conservatory, Mount Royal Conservatory, and at the National Arts Centre Young Artist Programme. He completed his formal studies at the Curtis Institute and the Juilliard School.
He released his debut album of works by Prokofiev, Ravel, and Gershwin on the Atoll label.
Mr. Chooi will perform with The Orchestra Now on October 16, 2022.
Bio: September 2022