Praised as an “artist of enormous prowess” (Verbier Festival Newsletter) with a “wide range of rich colors” (San Diego Story) and playing that is “bold… with imagination and charm” (New York Classical Review), American pianist Sahun Sam Hong brings his uniquely magnetic tone and colorful style to recital, chamber, and concerto stages worldwide.
Hong is a prizewinner of numerous international competitions, including the Vendome Prize at Verbier (winner), International Beethoven Competition Vienna (second prize), and Naumburg International Piano Competition (third prize). He was also a recipient of a 2021 American Pianists Award.
Described as a “virtuoso, scaling realms… [with] sheer beauty of tone” (Boston Musical Intelligencer), he has appeared as soloist with orchestras including ORF-Vienna, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Camerata New York, Fort Worth, Richardson, Racine, Waco, Galveston, and Brazos Valley Symphony, and has performed at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall’s Weill Hall, Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, the Vienna Musikverein, Église de Verbier, Merkin Hall, and the Kennedy Center.
Hong’s solo recitals reflect a commitment to sound as architecture itself - moving beyond virtuosic displays into inner clarity and magnetic resonance. His recital programs have been praised for “honesty and authenticity… and profound insight” (Sybille Barasso), and his new recital project entitled Glowing in Stillness debuts in the 2025–26 season.
A highly sought-after chamber musician, Hong appears regularly on national tours and mainstage concerts with organizations such as Marlboro, Music@Menlo, Ravinia’s Steans Institute, and Four Seasons. He is a member of the Bowers Program (2024–27) at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.
In addition to performing, Hong is a prolific arranger of chamber and orchestral works. His innovative transcriptions are performed worldwide and featured prominently in the touring programs of the ensemble132 collective, which he co-directs.
At the age of 16, Hong graduated magna cum laude from Texas Christian University (TCU), studying with John Owings. He also studied with Leon Fleisher and Yong Hi Moon at the Peabody Institute. Hong is currently based in New York City, and serves on the faculty of CUNY Queens College.