Artist Biographies

Joshua Gersen, conductor

These performances mark Joshua Gersen’s first appearance with the Charlotte Symphony.

An artist of impeccable musical credentials, Joshua Gersen is widely respected as an engaging and inspiring conductor, able to communicate effortlessly with both young and established orchestras internationally. He made his debut as a conductor at the early age of 11 and has established himself as a dynamic presence on the podium.

Joshua recently concluded his tenure as the Assistant Conductor of the New York Philharmonic, where he most notably made his subscription debut at just a few hours’ notice. “Impassioned and incisive,” wrote The New York Times, “the performance earned a standing ovation and prolonged applause from his colleagues in the orchestra.”

Joshua works frequently at the Juilliard School, the Manhattan School of Music, Boston University, and the Curtis Institute of Music. During his time with the New York Philharmonic, he also conducted many of the orchestra’s celebrated Young People’s Concerts and worked extensively with programs which provide music education for students in underserved communities across New York City.

Joshua studied composition with Michael Gandolfi at the New England Conservatory of Music before studying conducting at the Curtis Institute of Music. He conducted world premieres of new works by young composers with the New York Youth Symphony, and collaborated with many prominent contemporary composers including John Adams, Steve Reich, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Jennifer Higdon, Mason Bates and Michael Gandolfi.

He remains passionate about the core classical repertoire, in particular the German and Russian masters, as well as the classic American composers.

Joshua has enjoyed a very successful relationship with the New World Symphony, as assistant conductor to Artistic Director Michael Tilson Thomas. He made his conducting debut with the San Francisco Symphony in the fall of 2013.

Jinjoo Cho, violin

These performances mark Jinjoo Cho’s first appearance with the Charlotte Symphony.

Violinist Jinjoo Cho’s technical and artistic skills have been tested and proven as 1st Prize Winner of the world’s most prestigious competitions such as the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis and Concours Musical International de Montréal in addition to the Buenos Aires, Schoenfeld, and Stulberg Competitions. She performs regularly in renowned international venues and festivals such as the Carnegie Hall, Aspen Music Festival, La Jolla Music Society, Herkulessaal in Munich, Schwetzingen SWR Festspiele, Seoul Arts Center and Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. Jinjoo appears as a soloist with distinguished orchestras such as The Cleveland Orchestra, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Deutsche Radio Philharmonic, Seoul Philharmonic, Orquesta Clásica Santa Cecilia de Madrid, and Phoenix Symphony, collaborating with conductors James Gaffigan, Michael Stern, Kent Nagano and Jaime Laredo.

Passionate about pedagogy, Jinjoo has taught in many conservatories in the United States such as the Cleveland Institute of Music and Oberlin College and Conservatory. Since 2018, Jinjoo has held the position of Assistant Professor of Violin at the Schulich School of Music at McGill University in Montreal and serves as the Founding Artistic Director of the ENCORE Chamber Music Institute, a summer festival that offers young musicians an experience of true immersion as chamber musicians.

Jinjoo is a consummate recording artist. Her latest album, La Capricieuse (SONY Classical) garnered critical and commercial success in her home country of Korea. In 2021, she played for a SaintSaëns album, released by Naïve Classical with Ensemble Appassionato, led by conductor Mathieu Herzog.