Nikki Chooi — Violin

Praised for his powerful and poetic performances, internationally acclaimed violinist Nikki Chooi has established himself as one of the most charismatic and versatile artists of his generation. He has earned worldwide recognition as a Laureate of the Queen Elizabeth and Tchaikovsky Competitions, and as First Prize winner of the Michael Hill International Violin Competition, the Klein International String Competition, and the Montreal Symphony’s ManuLife Competition.

Currently Concertmaster of the Grammy Award–winning Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra, Chooi is recognized for his leadership on some of the world’s most prominent stages. He has also appeared as guest concertmaster with the Boston Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony, Houston Symphony, Sydney Symphony, and Macao Orchestra. From 2016 to 2017, he served as Concertmaster of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, where his playing was featured in The Met: Live in HD broadcasts and on the Grammy-nominated Decca recording of Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier.

As a soloist, Chooi has performed at major venues worldwide, with highlights including appearances at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium, Lincoln Center, and engagements with the National Orchestra of Belgium, Chamber Orchestra of Wallonie, Auckland Philharmonia, Puerto Rico Symphony, National Taiwan Symphony Festival Orchestra, and the Hong Kong Philharmonic. He is also a frequent guest at festivals such as Marlboro, Ravinia, Rockport, La Jolla SummerFest, Dresden, Moritzburg, Kammermusik Utrecht, Musica Viva (Australia), and Chamber Music New Zealand.

Deeply committed to collaboration, Chooi frequently performs with his brother, violinist Timothy Chooi, and has shared the stage with distinguished musicians including Yo-Yo Ma, JoAnn Falletta, Clayton Stephenson, Michelle Cann, and Time for Three. Dedicated to education, he has given classes at the Curtis Institute of Music, New England Conservatory’s Morningside Program, and the San Francisco Conservatory, in addition to residencies across Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

Born and raised in Victoria, Canada, Chooi began his training at the Victoria Conservatory, Mount Royal Conservatory, Morningside Music Bridge, and the National Arts Centre Young Artist Programme. He later studied at the Curtis Institute of Music and the Juilliard School under Joseph Silverstein, Ida Kavafian, and Donald Weilerstein. His artistry is represented on the Naxos, Beau Fleuve, and Atoll labels.

Chooi performs on a 1713 Stradivarius, graciously provided by CANIMEX INC. (Drummondville, Quebec, Canada), a 1749 G.B. Guadagnini on loan from the Stradivari Society of Chicago, and a 2016 Joseph Curtin. He proudly endorses Thomastik-Infeld strings.