Hyena Cho is a South Korean pianist who began her formal musical training at Sunhwa Music High School in Seoul. She continued her studies at the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna (MUK), completing her Bachelor’s degree in Piano with summa cum laude under Prof. Thomas Kreuzberger, and earned her Master’s degree at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (MDW) with Prof. Christoph Traxler. Since 2024, she has been pursuing postgraduate studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (KUG) with Prof. Milana Chernyavska.
She has gained international recognition through major competitions and high-profile performances. In 2024, she received notable acclaim for her performance at the Leeds International Piano Competition, and in 2025 she participated in the 19th International Chopin Piano Competition, one of the most prestigious piano competitions in the world.
Hyena Cho is a prizewinner at numerous international competitions, including First Prizes at the Concours International Leopold Bellan in France, the Dichler Competition in Vienna, and the Manhattan International Music Competition, where she received the Ivo Pogorelich Special Prize. She also made her debut at Carnegie Hall, New York, further establishing her international profile. Additional awards include prizes at the Roma International Piano Competition, the International Piano Competition “Città di San Donà di Piave,” and the Mimas Music Festival International Piano Competition. She also appeared as a soloist with orchestra after winning the International Concerto Competition in Brescia.
Her concert engagements have taken her to renowned venues across Austria, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Liechtenstein, Italy, and France, including the Bösendorfer Salon, Ehrbar Saal, and ORF RadioKulturhaus in Vienna. In 2024, she performed as a soloist with the Junge Künste Orchester at the mdw Vienna. She was invited as an artist to the Palermo Classica Festival for both the Summer and Winter Seasons of 2025, performing in multiple recitals. She has participated in masterclasses and festivals with distinguished artists including Aquiles Delle Vigne, Ingolf Wunder, Till Fellner, Elisabeth Leonskaja, and Lilya Zilberstein. Pianist Aquiles Delle Vigne has described her as “not merely a piano player, but a true artist,” underlining the individuality and depth of her musical expression. She is a recipient of several scholarships, including the Lions Club Scholarship, the ENAMI Foundation Scholarship, and the Soprano Sumi Jo Scholarship.
