Internationally acclaimed violinist Timothy Chooi gained international recognition by winning First Prize at the Joseph Joachim International Violin Competition in Hannover, Germany, and Second Prize at the Queen Elisabeth Competition. He also received the prestigious classical music award, the “Yves Paternot Prize” at the Verbier Festival in Switzerland. He has performed with renowned orchestras such as the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Belgian National Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, and Wiener Concert-Verein, among others. His performances have garnered glowing reviews from venues such as Carnegie Hall, Musikverein Wien, Berlin Philharmonie, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, and the Royal Albert Hall in London. Additionally, he has collaborated with esteemed artists including Anne-Sophie Mutter, Pinchas Zuckerman, Jukka Pekka Saraste, Lang Lang, and James Ehnes.

The 23/24 season marks an exciting touring year for Timothy Chooi, which includes collaborations with London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, featuring Emmy Award nominee composer Brian Tyler, a return to the Toronto Symphony, and debuts with the European Union Youth Orchestra, Brucknerhaus Orchester, and at the Wimbledon Music Festival.

Timothy Chooi’s music has been broadcasted on several prestigious stations worldwide. In 2023, he recorded with Anne-Sophie Mutter and Mutter’s Virtuosi on Deutsche Grammophon, and his performance with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra was featured on Medici TV. His music has also been aired on NPO Radio Klassiek Amsterdam, WQXR New York, RTBF Belgium, Swiss Public Radio, CBC Radio Canada, Deutschlandfunk Kultur, and Danish Public Radio.

Born in Canada and raised in the United States of America to Indonesian parents, Timothy Chooi embarked on his violin journey inspired by his older brother, Nikki Chooi. At the age of sixteen, his debut performance with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra (Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal) catapulted his career onto the global stage.

Currently, he serves as the Professor of Violin at the University of Ottawa in Canada. He performs on two exceptional rare violins: the Titan Guarneri Del Gesu violin from 1741, on loan from CANIMEX INC. in Drummondville, Quebec, Canada, and the Engleman Stradivarius violin from 1709, on loan from the Nippon Music Foundation in Japan.

Teachers

2017 - 2019: Catherine Cho
2016 - 2017: Pamela Frank
2010 - 2017: Ida Kavafian
2011 - 2014: Patinka Kopec
2011 - 2014: Pinchas Zukerman

Degrees

2017 - 2019: Master of Music, The Juilliard School
2010 - 2017: Bachelor of Music, The Curtis Institute of Music

Concerts

2019: Adam Mickiewicz University Auditorium, Filharmonia Poznanska, Yoav Talmi
2019: Seongnam Arts Centre, Seongnam Philharmonic Orchestra, Gung Namse
2019: Theater Chemnitz, Robert-Schumann-Philharmonie, Guillermo García Calvo
2018: Landesfunkhaus Hannover, NDR Radiophilharmonie, Andrew Manze
2018: St. Eustache Eglise, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Adam Johnson
2018: Roy Thomson Hall, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Robert Kapilow
2018: Southam Hall, National Arts Centre Orchestra,, Pinchas Zukerman
2017: Jack Singer Hall, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Christoph Konig
2015: Orpheum Theatre, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, James Feddeck
2014: Petronas Towers, Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Colomer

Competitions

2018: Winner, Canada Council for the Arts Musical Instrument Bank
2018: 1st Prize, Schadt International Violin Competition
2018: 1st Prize, Joseph Joachim International Violin Competition, Hannover, Germany
2015: 3rd Prize, Michael Hill International Violin Competition
2010: 1st and Grand Prize, Montreal Symphony ManuLife Competition