Bach’s Double Violin Concerto is a family affair featuring BPO concertmaster Nikki Chooi and his equally virtuosic brother, Timothy Chooi, in an energetic exchange of musical one-up-man-ship. Timothy solos on Prokofiev’s lyrical and romantic Violin Concerto No. 1, and the BPO performs Brahms’ beautifully melodic Serenade No. 2.

Nikki Chooi’s performance is sponsored by Mark Chason and Mariana Botero Chason.
Timothy Chooi’s Saturday performance is sponsored by Dr. George and Mrs. Carolyn Kotlewski.

The BPO Coffee Concert Series is presented by Highmark.

Program

JoAnn Falletta, conductor
Timothy Chooi, violin
Nikki Chooi, violin

BEHZAD RANJBARAN  Saratoga Overture
PROKOFIEV  Violin Concerto No. 1
BACH  Concerto for Two Violins
BRAHMS  Serenade No. 2 in A major

About Timothy Chooi

Internationally acclaimed violinist Timothy Chooi has captivated audiences worldwide with his virtuosic and finely nuanced performances. He is highly sought after for his passionate renditions and extensive repertoire, as well as his exceptional ability to connect with a global audience, amassing a media following of millions of viewers who have tuned in to his music.

Chooi gained international recognition by winning First Prize at the Joseph Joachim International Violin Competition in Hanover, Germany, and Second Prize at the Queen Elisabeth International 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 Zukerman, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Lang Lang, and James Ehnes.

This year marks an exciting touring year from Chooi, including 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, Bruckner Orchester Linz, and at the Wimbledon Music Festival.

Chooi’s music has been broadcast 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 of Chinese ethnicity, 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, Chooi 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, Québec, Canada, and the Engleman Stradivarius violin from 1709, on loan from the Nippon Music Foundation in Japan.

About Nikki Chooi

Praised for his powerful and poetic performances, internationally-acclaimed violinist Nikki Chooi has established himself as an artist of rare versatility. Gramophone stated he performed with “total conviction and assurance.” Nikki is a Laureate of the Queen Elizabeth and Tchaikovsky Competitions, and was awarded 1st Prize Winner at the Montreal Symphony’s ManuLife Competition, the Klein International Strings Competition, and the Michael Hill International Violin Competition.

Nikki is currently Concertmaster of the Grammy-award winning Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra under Music Director JoAnn Falletta. Highly in demand as a guest concertmaster, he has performed with the Boston Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony, Houston Symphony, Sydney Symphony, and Macao Orchestra. Previously Concertmaster of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Nikki’s solos can be heard through The Met: Live in HD broadcasts in productions of Verdi’s La Traviata, Janacek’s Jenufa, and the Grammy-nominated recording of Strauss’ Rosenkavalier released on the Decca Label.

In 2022-2023, Nikki made critically-acclaimed debuts at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium as soloist with the Buffalo Philharmonic and at Lincoln Center’s Rose Hall with Orchestra NOW. He was also featured soloist with the Vancouver Symphony, Puerto Rico Symphony, National Taiwan Symphony Festival Orchestra, Santa Fe Symphony, Hamilton Philharmonic, and Manitoba Chamber Orchestra. In past seasons, he has appeared as soloist with orchestras across Canada and internationally including the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, National Arts Centre Orchestra, Victoria Symphony Orchestra, Louisiana Philharmonic, Chamber Orchestra of Wallonie, National Orchestra of Belgium, Auckland Philharmonia, Malaysian Philharmonic, and Hong Kong Philharmonic.

Nikki has been featured at many international festivals with performances at the Marlboro Festival, Ravinia Festival, Rockport Chamber Music Festival, La Jolla Summerfest, Brevard Music Center, Vancouver Recital Series, Wimbledon Festival, Moritzburg Festival, Kammermusik Utrecht, Dresden Music Festival, Chamber Music New Zealand, and Fundación Beethoven in Chile. Additionally, Nikki has collaborated with esteemed artists including Yo-Yo Ma, Renne Fleming, Eric Owens, and Time for Three. A passionate educator, Nikki has presented classes at Curtis Institute of Music, Morningside Music Program at the New England Conservatory, San Francisco Conservatory, Orchestra of the Americas Academy, Sphinx Academy, Hong Kong Cultural Center, and the University of Auckland.

Nikki began his studies at the Victoria Conservatory, Mount Royal Conservatory, Morningside Music Bridge, and at the National Arts Centre Young Artist Programme. He completed his formal studies at the Curtis Institute and the Juilliard School under the mentorship of Joseph Silverstein, Ida Kavafian, and Donald Weilerstein.

He has recorded for Naxos, Beau Fleuve, Atoll, and Decca labels. Nikki performs on a 1749 G.B Guadagnini and a Jean Marie Persoit bow on extended loan through the Stradivari Society of Chicago. Nikki proudly endorses Thomastik-Infeld strings.