Pianist Sunghoon Simon Hwang has received widespread acclaim from critics and musicians around the world, earning accolades such as “thundering applause,” “a performer who penetrates the nuances of music,” “an extraordinary master of expressive realms,” “a virtuoso on the keyboard,” and “an unbelievable depth and brilliance of sound.”
Hwang has triumphed in numerous prestigious international competitions, including the Maria Canals International Competition, Epinal International Competition, Porto International Competition, Jaen International Competition, and Luis Sigall International Competition, amassing an impressive total of 41 awards and 10 special prizes. His repertoire spans from Baroque to contemporary music. Notably, he received the Special Prize for Contemporary Music Interpretation at the Porto International Competition, the Special Prize for French Music Interpretation at the Epinal and Andorra International Competitions, the Special Prize for Classical Sonata Interpretation at the Carlet International Competition, and the Special Prize for Romantic Music Interpretation at the Guardiagrele International Competition. In 2011, he successfully completed a recital tour in Germany featuring Bach’s “Goldberg Variations,” further solidifying his reputation as a prominent pianist across all genres.
In 2017, Hwang made a successful debut recital at Carnegie Hall in New York, garnering high praise from local media, including the New York Concert Review, which described his performance as “sensual and captivating,” “exhibiting supreme artistic technique,” and “demonstrating masterful control.”
Hwang has collaborated with numerous esteemed orchestras, including the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de Montbeliard, Orquestra Granada, Orquestra Nacional do Porto, San Remo Symphony, Janáček Philharmonic, Duisburg Symphony, Landeskapelle Eisenach, Filarmonica Marchigiana, Filarmonica Banatul, Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana, Vina del Mar Regional Orchestra, Bacau Symphony, Taiwan NSO Orchestra, and Orquestra Sinfonica “Perfecto Garcia Chornet.” He has also been invited to perform at various international festivals, such as the Busoni Festival in Bozen, Alfredo Speranza Festival in Rimini, Pianofestival in Grosseto, Wennigsen Music Festival, Altstadt Festival in Hannover, Chateau de Lourmarin Festival, Busan Maru International Music Festival (BMIMF), Niestetal International Pianofestival, and Pianino Festival at the Chopin Museum in Palma de Mallorca. Additionally, he has released two CDs titled “Artist Poetry” (Artist Poetry I & II) in Germany, which have received positive feedback globally. In 2020, he released a live performance CD under the Sony Classical label.
Hwang began his studies at the Korea National University of Arts, graduating with the highest honors and performing at the Chosun Ilbo New Artist Concert. He then graduated with top honors from the Santa Cecilia National Conservatory in Italy and completed the “Perfectionnement” program at the École Normale de Musique in Paris. In 2008, he earned his degree from the highest performance program (Konzertexamen) at Hanover University of Music, Drama, and Media.
In addition to his international career as a pianist, Hwang has gained recognition as an educator. In 2006, he was invited to give a masterclass at Otto von Guericke University in Magdeburg, Germany. In 2009, he served as a visiting professor at the Kloster Michaelstein Master Class, invited by the Landesmusikakademie Sachsen-Anhalt. In 2016, he delivered a special lecture at Rutgers University in the United States. From 2011 to 2018, he was appointed as a jury member for the “Claude Bonneton” International Piano Competition in France and has been invited to serve on the jury for numerous other international competitions, including Epinal, Maria Canals, Rina Sala Gallo, Tokyo, Roma, Terra degli Imperiali, G. Raciti, and Euterpe. He taught at the University of Hildesheim in Germany from 2009 to 2013. Since 2020, he has served as the artistic director of the “Sviatoslav Richter” Online International Piano Competition and the “G-Clef” Online International Music Competition.