Pianist Minsoo Sohn Joins Faculty at New England Conservatory

Sohn has returned to his alma mater, following seven years at the Korean National University of the Arts

Pianist Minsoo Sohn has previously taught at the Korean National University of the Arts, since 2015, and at the Michigan State University. As a teacher, his students have gone on to win competitions of their own — his student Yunchan Lim taking First Prize at the 2022 edition of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.

He will now return to his alma mater, the New England Conservatory (NEC), to take up a position on the piano faculty there.

As a soloist, Sohn has received a number of prestigious awards, including First Prize at the 2006 Honens Competition and Third Prize at the 1999 Busoni Competition.

"I am thrilled and honored to be back at home," Sohn said. "I inherited the gift of music from the New England Conservatory and it has always been the guiding light of my musical journey. I proudly carry the spirit of Gunther Schuller, Rudolf Kolisch, Katja Andy, and of course, the teachers of my lifetime — Russell Sherman and Wha Kyung Byun."

"I am eternally indebted to my masters for opening my eyes to a world still unfathomable. They have instilled within me a love and courage to follow my bliss. I am very much looking forward to carrying that torch at NEC."

"NEC shares the news of Minsoo’s appointment to the piano faculty with a sense of enormous pride," said Benjamin Sosland, the Provost and Dean of the Faculty. "As a consummate artist-teacher, Minsoo embodies the ideals of musical excellence in his playing and his teaching. The foundation of his musical journey was laid here at NEC, and we are simply delighted that he is returning to his alma mater to pass on his expertise and insight to a new generation of pianists."