Bio

Bandoneonist, composer, and pianist Shinjoo Cho began her music studies at age five in Korea and continued her music development in tango, chamber, and improvised music in the US and Argentina. Shinjoo collaborated with music, dance, and film makers in multi-disciplinary projects and performed on notable stages and festivals in the US, Canada, Latin America, Europe, and Korea. Shinjoo participated in the Marlboro Music Festival under the baton of Leon Fleisher, appeared as a guest soloist with the Cleveland Orchestra at Severance Hall and NY Master Chorale, and performed with tango orchestras at the Lincoln Center summer concert series.

During her 2014-2016 residency in Argentina, some of Shinjoo’s notable performances included appearing as a solo pianist for the president of Argentina at the inauguration of Centro Cultural Kirchner, a Teatro Colón debut with Branford Marsalis Quartet, and participation in Diego Schissi’s Música Maestra ensemble at Centro Cultural Kirchner Symphonic Hall. She studied bandoneon with Santiago Segret, Luís Caruana, Matias Gobbo, and Hector del Curto and tango piano with Hernán Possetti and Cristian Zárate.

Her recent projects include creating and producing Lo que vendrá, a retrospective and marathon concert of Astor Piazzolla’s music presented by Esperanza Arts Center, and composition for film and radio, such as the Lewis Latimer documentary and WHYY’s Route 47: Historias Along a Bus Route. Currently, she is a member of Oscuro Quintet, El Sesenta dúo, Abaddon Sextet, and Orquesta Solidaridad and teaches bandoneón and tango ensemble at Swarthmore College and Central High School.

Shinjoo is a recipient of Philadelphia Cultural Treasures, Leeway Foundation, and Independence Foundation grants. Her latest recording credits include Roads to Damascus by Kinan Abu-Afach, Postales by Patricio Acevedo, and Exploratorium by Gene Coleman. Her solo bandoneon album Abriendo y Cerrando is anticipated to be released in 2025 on Innova Recordings.