Heun Choi

Cellist Heun Choi just won an individual Artist Support grant Award 2008 from Queens Council on the Arts and New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Greater New York Arts Development Fund. She will put a public concert for this award soon in Queens, NY.

She immerses herself in a diversity of styles of music. When performing, she emotes her love of Jazz, Classical, Gospel, and various Contemporary music, and brings her unique perspective from Korea. Her talent was apparent at an early age, when as a teenager she won two international competitions held by the Korean National Music Association. Choi' professional performance experience includes the Seoul Premier Orchestra and the Seoul Civic Orchestra (South Korea), the Southwest Florida Symphony, the Arpeggione String Quartet( Tampa,FL), the New York Jazz Symphony Orchestra, and Principal Cellist in the Henry Mancini Institute Chamber Orchestra 2002 (U.S.), she was selected as USC Thornton School of music fund and recieved a full scholarship . She has performed in China, Guam, Korea, and the U.S. Her education began in her native South Korea, where she attended distinguished Seoul Arts High School, earned a B.M. at Han Yang University with talented full scholarship, and began M.M. studies at Ewha Women's University. Choi's passion for Jazz then brought her to the U.S., where she earned a dual Master's degree in Jazz and Classical performance at the University of South Florida. While studying at USF, she was awarded the prestigious Roe 'Cello Scholarship. Aside from playing, Fairbanks has avidly maintained a role as a music educator. While in Florida, she worked as a teaching assistant at University of South Florida, directed the Orchestra program at Powell Middle School Performing Arts Center, and ran her own private teaching studio. Now, she is active in the vibrant New York Jazz and Contemporary music scene. She is also a creative composer finding new/ unique sound and an advanced improviser. In addition to freelance performing and recording, Choi is a member of the New York Jazz Symphony Orchestra, and a participant in the IAJE New Music String Reading Ensemble. She is also involved in administrating the Christian Howes Creative String Workshop every year. She is married to a wonderful husband Jeff FAirbanks, Trombonist/Jazz Composer and living in Queens, NY.