Claude Choe

Romantic sentiment shining through exquisite melodies

An award-winning composer, conductor, and producer Claude Choe has captivated his audience worldwide with his beautiful, moving melodies for over two decades. The winner of 2003 Canada-Korea Cultural Artist of the Year Award Claude Choe is well-known for introducing classical easy listening to South Korea in movie and television drama soundtracks, notably 'Love is Just a Dream' and 'As I leave,' sung by the world-renowned soprano Sumi Jo. As a classical guitarist, Claude has been active in performances across North America, Europe, and Asia, with numerous sound recordings.

In 2003, Claude Choe was selected to be the musical director of the 100^th Year Korea-America Immigration Anniversary Celebration in USA, which led to the monumental first musical concert ever held inside the Capitol, Washington DC, with the Washington Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. In 2002, Claude participated in the opening ceremony of the World Cup 2002 Korea-Japan as a music director.

Romantic and Beautiful Melodies

Critics and fellow professional musicians take note of Claude's unique musical style-poetic and nostalgic, crossing all spectrums of music, a fusion of sentimental Oriental melodies with romantic Western European classics, with a touch of passionate Latin and soulful Jazz. Praising his music for its "poetic and romantic color," the Centre Culture Francais calls his music "freeing and relaxing," and the London Voice and Royal Opera House calls it "splendid and extraordinarily beautiful."

Composer

Claude Choe first began receiving international attention and recognition at the Salerno International Film Festival in Italy in 1993, when his 'Une Poignee de Temps' won the Best Film Music Award among 200 international nominees from 120 countries.

Choe's own compositions are perhaps best-known in movie and television drama soundtracks, including the main theme music for Korean top dramas 'Hotelier' 'Famous Seven Princesses' and 'Guardian Angel' 'and of human.'

Claude Choe's own composition albums include the SONY & BMG recording 'Romantic Dreams' which was recorded in 2007 with the London Symphony Orchestra and London Voices, 'Millennium Romance' with Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, 'Sentimental Scenery' and '5 Colors of French Mood' with French Pop Orchestra and 'In Love with Romantic Guitar.' These albums feature collections of his most-loved compositions from the past two decades.

Conductor

As an accomplished conductor, Claude Choe has been working with many of the world's best orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra of England, St. Luke Symphony of New York, Washington Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic and Festival Symphony of Canada & USA. Notably, Claude Choe was the first Asian to conduct the legendary Russia's Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra in 1994. Choe conducted these world-renowned orchestras in numerous concerts and for sound recordings in world-class concert halls and studios, including the New York Carnegie Hall and London Abbey Road Studio, and Toronto Massey Hall and Russia St. Petersburg Hall.

Producer

Aside from his own albums, Claude has been working actively as a producer of cross-over albums for both popular and classical music singers. From 2000 to 2002, Choe worked successfully as a producer for world-class soprano Sumi Jo, including the sound recording of 'Love is Just a Dream', originally written and conducted by Choe himself with Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, then recorded again in Rome, Italy with Sumi Jo in cooperation with sound engineer Simon Rocinee (producer and sound engineer of Louciano Pavarotti's recordings). The song 'Love is Just a Dream' became Choe's hallmark in Korea and it continues to be a favourite of many. In 2001, Choe directed and produced Sumi Jo's 'The Empire of the Lost' (see Korean document) new song 'As I Leave,(see Korean document)' which later broke the record as the most-sold television drama soundtracks in Korea; then in 2002 again, Sumi Jo's new albums 'With Love' and 'My Story,' which again broke the records as the fastest most-sold recording in Korea's classical music recordings history.

Other singers with whom Claude Choe worked as a producer are Stefanie Rose, Tae Kyung Lim, Korea's popular cross-over tenor, Young-Ok Shin and Moon-Hee Shin, Metropolitan soprano divas, Mira Lee, a musical theatre actress, and Bum-Soo Kim, a Billboard chart artist.

Musical Director

As a musical director, Claude Choe has played an active role in promoting exchange of cultural arts between Korea and North America. Choe currently serves as the director of Korea-America Cultural Arts Foundation and Korea-Canada Cultural Arts Foundation. Recently, he was appointed as the musical director of an upcoming new exposition hall opening ceremony at the Smithsonian Museum, Washington, DC, USA.

Classical Guitarist

Claude Choe is one of the most beloved classical guitarists in South Korea, and his virtuoso is well-known. His performances have been seen across the world in New York, Paris, Washington DC, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Vancouver, Spain, and many other cities. His very own five classical guitar recordings attest to his love for this instrument, with which Choe first pursued his interest in music early in his life.

Claude Choe's music continues to stir hearts of many music lovers who long for romantic and poetic melodies that inspire freedom and love. More...