The Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts | WFMT

Cellist Eunghee Cho and Pianist Tomomi Sato perform works by Camille Saint-Saëns and Rita Strohl, live from the Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist, Chicago.
Korean-American cellist Eunghee Cho was awarded Second Prize and the special award for Outstanding Chinese New Piece Performance at the Schoenfeld International String Competition (China). He also earned top prizes at the Chamber Music Yellow Springs Competition (USA), Gustav Mahler Prize Cello Competition (Czech Republic), and AEMC International Chamber Music Competition (Italy), among other national competitions. He is the principal cellist of Mercury Chamber Orchestra and regularly performs as principal cellist with other ensembles around the country including Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, Boston Festival Orchestra, Dallas Chamber Symphony, and Cape Symphony. Eunghee has collaborated in performances with artists such as Midori Goto, Inon Barnatan, Paul Neubauer, David Shifrin, Elton John, Maeve Gilchrist, Keith Murphy, Alec Benjamin, François Salque, and with members of the Cleveland Quartet, Borromeo String Quartet, St. Lawrence String Quartet, Calder String Quartet, A Far Cry, and Aaron Diehl Trio.
Eunghee is the cellist of Trio Magnoliana and Director of Chamber Music for Texas Music Festival. He has been invited to present cello masterclasses for Boston Conservatory, Towson University, La Jolla Music Society, University of Southern Mississippi, Artis Naples, Royal Conservatory of Music, Walnut Hill School for the Arts, and Martha’s Vineyard Chamber Music Society, and is the Artistic Director of Mellon Music Festival in Davis, CA. Eunghee has also served on the summer teaching faculties of Texas Music Festival, International Cello Institute, Montecito International Music Festival, Heifetz International Music Institute, Texas Strings Festival, and Festival Internacional de Música Naolinco. He currently teaches cello at the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston where he also directs the Moores Cello Ensemble and CelloFest Houston.
Japanese pianist Tomomi Sato enjoys a diverse career as a performing artist and educator. Winner of the 2013 Seattle International Piano Competition, she has graced venues across continents, showcasing her virtuosity both as a soloist and collaborative artist. Highlights of her 2023-2024 season include a concerto with the Classical Music Institute Orchestra, recitals in the Los Angeles area with Duo Syncopa, and a tour in Japan with violinist Francisco Fullana. Renowned for her boundless repertoire and genre-defying versatility, she has attended esteemed festivals such as Music Academy, Tanglewood, and SongStudio at Carnegie Hall. From traditional concerts to opera, musical theatre, and silent film productions, her engagements reflect a multifaceted journey. As a rotating member of TAKE3, a classical crossover piano trio, she continues to captivate diverse audiences worldwide.
Tomomi’s pedagogical expertise and passion lie in ensemble playing and coaching and was recently appointed as Teaching Assistant Professor of Collaborative Piano at Oklahoma State University. She has completed her DMA degree in Keyboard Collaborative Arts at USC Thornton School of Music under the tutelage of Kevin Fitz-Gerald and Bernadene Blaha; she holds additional degrees from Juilliard and USC.