Violinist Nikki Chooi

Internationally renowned violinist Nikki Chooi will open the 2024-2025 Visiting Violin Series at the State University of New York at Fredonia with a master class and guest artist recital.

Chooi, concertmaster of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and a former laureate of the Queen Elisabeth and the Tchaikovsky competitions, will conduct the master class on Thursday, Sept. 26, from 6 to 7 p.m., and present a guest artist recital at 8 p.m.

Both events are at the Juliet J. Rosch Recital Hall and are free and open to the public.

Praised for his powerful and poetic performances, Chooi has established himself as an artist of rare versatility. He performs with “total conviction and assurance,” according to Gramophone.

“Nikki is simply a phenomenal violinist – he has won awards at virtually every major violin competition in the world, and at the same time, he is one of the most down-to-earth and humble human beings you will meet,” said School of Music Assistant Professor Jessica Tong.

Highly in demand as a guest concertmaster, Chooi has performed with symphony orchestras in Boston, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee and Houston, and with the Macao Orchestra in China. He was a first prize winner of the Montreal Symphony’s Manulife Competition and the Michael Hill International Violin Competition.

A passionate educator, Choi has presented classes at the 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. His formal studies were at the Curtis Institute and The Juilliard School.

Chooi, an American-Canadian classical violinist, has recorded with Naxos, Beau Fleuve, Atoll and Decca labels.

“My goal in founding the Visiting Violin Series was to invite leading, innovative violinists, with a broad range of expertise on both a musical and entrepreneurial level, to come and give master classes, interactive workshops and performances for Fredonia students, introducing them to a much broader musical sphere beyond their instruction at Fredonia,” Ms. Tong said.

The String House, of Rochester, sponsor of Chooi’s campus visit, will hold a “visit the luthier” session, offering instruments and accessories, that day from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., in the Mason Hall lobby.

Chooi’s upcoming performances with the Buffalo Philharmonic at Kleinhans Music Hall include Sept. 28, Oct. 11 and 13, Nov. 9, 10, 22 and 23 and Dec. 13 and 14.