A Korean-born pianist, Hyeji Seo has been praised for her cantabile lyricism and sincere, passionate musicality. As a versatile artist, she excels both as a soloist and a collaborative pianist, captivating audiences across the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Her recent debut album, Melodies from East Asia (Navona Records, 2025), has received acclaim from various publications. Interlude.hk described her playing as “both delicate and confident, delivering nuanced interpretations while maintaining a consistent artistic voice,” while iReview.kr noted that her performance “transcends time and space… Seo’s virtuosity draws out the eloquence inherent in each piece…shaping the character of the pioneering album with consistent logic…shine when thoughtfully interpreted, offering audiences a fresh, engaging, and heartfelt musical experience.” The album has also been featured on public radio in Virginia, Massachusetts, Florida, Kansas City, and has garnered favorable international reviews.

The album includes a world-premiere work commissioned by the Korean Society of Women Composers and reflects her dedication to culturally rich and diverse repertoire by underrepresented composers. And this shares a core value of her concert series ‘The Music We Write’ that she founded in 2023 to promote underrepresented music.

As an active presenter and performer, regularly sharing her work at national and international events. Upcoming events include a lecture presentation at the Colorado State Music Teachers Association (CSMTA) Conference, as well as performances and teaching at universities in U.S. Her recent guest invitations include Wuhan Conservatory of Music (China), the Opening Concert of NCKP (National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy), and Gangneung-Wonju National University (Korea). She also appeared at the College Music Society, Regional and National Conference in Washington D.C., the Music by Women International Festival in Mississippi, and the Women Composers Festival of Hartford.

Seo made her New York debut in 2016 at the prestigious Carnegie Weill Recital Hall, a milestone in her career. She has since been invited to perform in distinguished venues such as the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia, Miller Theatre, and William Stewart Memorial Shell in Michigan. Her performances have taken her to numerous cities across Colorado, Michigan, Illinois, Mississippi, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Arizona, and South Korea.

She has earned international acclaim, winning first prizes in the American Protégé International Piano and Strings Competition, the International Music Competition ‘Brussels’ Grand Prize Virtuoso, and the International Piano Association Competition. She was also recognized at the Ise-Shima International Piano Competition in Japan and the Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition in the U.S. Seo has served as an adjudicator for the MTNA Colorado Competition and the International Keyboard Odyssiad & Festival.

Seo has appeared as a soloist with orchestras at Seoul National University, Sookmyung Women’s University, and Western Illinois University as a competition winner. She was featured at the Piano Gala Concert for the 110th Anniversary of Sookmyung Women’s University and has performed in the Triumph Music Festival Gala Concert, the EOULIM Concert Series, and the Young Artist Debut Concert in Seoul, sponsored by Music Education News.

As a dynamic and sought-after collaborative pianist, Seo has worked with renowned musicians and performed at major events including the 56th International Horn Symposium, the 53rd International Double Reed Society Conference, the Colorado Flute Fair, and Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. Her collaborative experience spans instrumental, vocal, choral, symphonic, chamber, and operatic repertoire. She has served as a coach and pianist at the Encore Series in Todi, Italy, and has worked with institutions such as Michigan State University and Western Illinois University.

Community engagement is at the heart of her work. Seo is especially dedicated to supporting underserved communities and students with disabilities. She has presented on piano pedagogy for young musicians with autism at the MTNA Collegiate Chapters Symposium and is a registered teacher with the MusicLink Foundation, providing lessons to local students in financial need. Currently, she is serving as Vice President, pedagogy program event chair, at Fort Collins MTA.

Seo holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance and a Master’s in Collaborative Piano from Michigan State University, as well as Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Sookmyung Women’s University and Western Illinois University. She was supported throughout her studies by prestigious scholarships and assistantships, including the Ralph Votapek Scholarship and the Dixon Collaborative Pianist Award.

Her primary teachers include Kyungmi Kim, Hyesoo Jeon, Tammie Walker, Zhihua Tang, and Deborah Moriarty. She has also worked with esteemed artists such as Hae Sun Paik, Alan Chow, Zhe Tang, Robert Roux, Michael Lewin, Klaus Schilde, Sontraud Speidel, Aviram Reichert, Alain Jacquon, and Laurent Cabasso.

Currently, Seo serves as assistant professor of Practice in Collaborative Piano Faculty at the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance at Colorado State University, where she teaches class piano and chamber music while continuing to inspire students and audiences through her artistry, teaching, and advocacy for inclusive, meaningful music-making. Please visit her webpage at https://hyejiseopiano.com/ and listen to the entire album ‘The Melodies from East Asia’ at https://www.navonarecords.com/catalog/nv6746/.