Whirlwind American tours and performances across the globe have earned pianist Alpin Hong the reputation as a modern day Pied Piper. Opening the ears, eyes and imaginations of hundreds of thousands of Americans, his combination of stunning technique, emotional range, and rare humor continues to bring audiences young and old to their feet. Indeed, the Santa Barbara News Press described Mr. Hong’s performance as “…a tour de force. Hong evoked a kind of Beatlemania when he came on stage. What a showman! What a musician!” In recognition of the pianist’s immense gifts for communicating his passion for music to audiences of all ages, The McGraw-Hill Companies honored him in September 2005 with the $10,000 Robert Sherman Award for Music Education and Community Outreach.

In July 2005, Gramophone magazine declared Mr. Hong’s first CD (works of Scarlatti, Brahms, Debussy and Stravinsky on MSR Classics) “a debut that enhances this young pianist’s reputation,” in particular praising his “strong finger-work and keen ear for voice-leading.” The release of his second album in January 2007, friendtaskmasterteacher, sold out of its first run within a matter of weeks and has already garnered critical acclaim. The New York Times lauded his “crystalline energy…clear and persuasive ideas…and remarkable breadth of coloration” and called him “a pianistic firebrand” in a review of his standing-room only New York recital debut at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, the result of his winning First Prize in the 2001 Concert Artists Guild International Competition.

Highlights of Mr. Hong’s recent appearances include performances at the internationally renowned Gilmore Keyboard Festival in Michigan, the Grand Opera House in Wisconsin, and “a rock-star-like performance” of the Ravel G minor Piano Concerto in the opening gala of the Boise Philharmonic’s 07-08 season. His uniquely humorous and visionary approach to arts education has resulted in artistic residencies from coast to coast, and recent appearances at the Schauer Arts Center in Wisconsin, Strings in the Mountains in Colorado, and Henderson/Las Vegas in Nevada left a new generation of young people inspired and cheering. Upcoming performance highlights include the opening gala celebrations of Hahn Hall in Santa Barbara, CA, Strings Music Pavilion in Steamboat Springs, and the new Steinway performance hall at Kennesaw State University in Georgia, as well as a return engagement with the Boise Philharmonic performing Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3.

Mr. Hong’s astonishing ability to connect to people of all ages, experiences, and backgrounds distinguishes him and shapes his evolving performance style. His extensive classical training, matched with his background in skateboarding, snowboarding, martial arts, and videogames, forms a creative force unmatched in its youthful vivacity and boundless energy. His tireless pursuit to find, inspire, and collaborate with talents in every community results in unforgettably magical presentations that simultaneously expand worlds yet hit close to home.

Alpin Hong is a native of Michigan and made his orchestral debut with the Kalamazoo Symphony at the age of ten. He moved to Los Angeles soon after and garnered competition victories at a young age with wins at the 1989 Stravinsky Piano Competition, the 1993 SYMF Competition and the 1994 Los Angeles Spotlight Awards Competition. His teachers have included Mark Richman, and Emilio del Rosario, and he completed his Master’s degree as a student of Jerome Lowenthal at The Juilliard School.