Rosa Hong

Rosa Hong, a pianist of Korean descent based in Canada, earned her Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance from the University of British Columbia under the tutelage of Dr. Sara Davis Buechner. She furthered her studies with exceptional achievements, attaining a Künstlerische Ausbildung degree (Masters of Music) with a perfect score at her entrance audition, and a Solistische Ausbildung degree (Ph.D. in piano performance) from the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik Trossingen, mentored by Prof. Tomislav Nedelkovic-Baynov, culminating in high honors. Notable mentors in her formative years include Hyekyung Ham, Edward J. Parker, and Winfried Rompf.

Distinguished as a virtuoso soloist, Rosa Hong has captivated audiences across Canada and Europe. Her solo debut recital at the Schloss Kirche in Bad Homburg, Germany in 2002 marked the beginning of a series of solo recitals in renowned venues such as Ravensburg and Tübingen, Germany.

Renowned for her sensitive sound and virtuosic technique, Rosa has been featured as a soloist with esteemed orchestras including the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra under the batons of Clyde Mitchell, Bramwell Tovey, and Tania Miller, as well as the White Rock Symphony Orchestra, the University of British Columbia Symphony Orchestra conducted by Bruce Dunn, the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra led by Ken Hsieh, the Shumen Philharmonic Orchestra in Bulgaria under the direction of Ivan Iliev, and the orchestra ‘arcademia sinfonica’ under the baton of Dietrich Schöller-Manno in Trossingen, Germany.

Rosa's accolades include winning the first prize in the 6th International six to eight hands piano competition in Marktoberdorf, Germany with her Piano Trio, as well as receiving a Special Prize at the XIX Concurso Internacional de Piano de Ibiza, Spain. Additionally, she has garnered numerous first prizes at Provincial and National Competitions such as the Canadian Music Competition and BC Provincial and National competitions.

Over the years, Rosa has enriched her musical insights through masterclasses with esteemed musicians including Boris Berman, Ruth Laredo, Marc Durand, Lee Kum Sing, Krystof Jablonsky, David Dubal, David Moroz, John Perry, Jerome Lowenthal, Dr. Thomas Hecht, Mikhail Voskresensky, and Professor Johann van Beek.

During her tenure in Germany, Rosa not only distinguished herself as a solo concert pianist but also excelled as a chamber musician. She collaborated in several performances with the Vancouver Piano Ensemble and the Baynov Piano Ensemble in both Canada and Germany. Notable among these collaborations was her performance with the Balingen Orchestra in a concert featuring four pianos with Orchestra under the direction of Dietrich Schoeller-Manno in 2008. In 2011, she was invited to perform with the Vancouver and Baynov piano ensemble at the prestigious Queen Elizabeth Theatre, and she participated in numerous concerts with the Ensemble across various cities in Germany, including Tuttlingen, Besigheim, Villingen, Trossingen, and Donaueschingen.

Currently, Rosa is actively engaged as an adjudicator, notably for the Pacific Rim International Music Competition, alongside pianist Gary Graffman. She continues to pursue her passion as a concert pianist and lecturer in masterclasses at esteemed institutions such as the Music Academy of Marktoberdorf and Hammelburg in Bavaria, Germany. Presently, Rosa serves as member of the piano faculty at the VSO School of Music in Vancouver, BC.