About Jiwon Han

Cultivating musical stories from the early stage to the international spotlight. An artist-pedagogue committed to the pursuit of excellence in both solo and collaborative performance.

South Korean pianist Jiwon Han has established himself as an artist of profound depth and technical mastery. Born into a musical family, his extraordinary journey began at the age of eight with a standout debut as a soloist with the Korean Philharmonic Orchestra in 1997, performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23. That same year, he presented his first solo recital at the Incheon Culture and Arts Center, launching a distinguished performing career that has now spanned nearly three decades.

Hailed by the New York Concert Review for his “probing and meticulous” artistry, Dr. Han is recognized for his unwavering concentration and insightful interpretations of the masterworks. He has performed in nearly every major concert venue in Korea and maintains a vibrant international presence, with appearances on prestigious stages across the United States, Japan, France, Germany, Italy, England, and Portugal.

Dr. Han’s competitive success includes top honors at South Korea’s most esteemed competitions, such as the Dong-A Music Concours and the Joongang Music Concours. His international acclaim is further bolstered by major awards from the ISANG YUN International Competition, Virginia Waring International Piano Competition, Teresa Carreño International Competition, Weatherford International Piano Competition, and the Franz Liszt Center International Competition. A prolific recording artist, his discography features solo albums Debut and Romanticism, alongside a diverse range of collaborative recordings with both instrumentalists and vocalists.

As a rare scholar-performer, Dr. Han holds two Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from Michigan State University—one in Piano Performance and another in Collaborative Piano—reflecting his mastery of both solo virtuosity and the complex art of musical partnership. He earned his Artist Diploma from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music as an Art of the Piano Foundation Award scholar and holds both Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees from the Korea National University of Arts. His artistic lineage includes studies under the guidance of renowned pedagogues such as Deborah Moriarty, Zhi-Hua Tang, Awadagin Pratt, Dae-jin Kim, Oxana Yablonskaya, and Choong-Mo Kang.

Currently, Dr. Han serves as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Piano and Collaborative Piano at the University of Wyoming. He is dedicated to fostering the next generation of musicians through a pedagogical approach that balances technical precision with deep musical expression, continuing to inspire students and audiences alike through his multifaceted career as a performer and educator.