Jia Choi is an accomplished pianist and educator with a deep-rooted passion for both performance and teaching. Born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, Jia began playing piano at age nine and quickly advanced to performing as a lead pianist in her local church. She went on to study piano performance at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she earned her BA and honed her skills in jazz, classical, and contemporary music.

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Jia’s diverse musical background includes Western classical repertoire, jazz, funk, K-pop, rock, and Broadway musicals. In addition to piano, she has studied traditional Korean court and dance music and is also skilled in playing instruments such as the gayageum, guzheng, daegeum, and samulnori.

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During her time at Berklee, Jia studied the works of Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, and Chick Corea, and performed in a variety of ensembles. After graduating, she toured across the U.S. with a fusion band that blended classic rock with Korean traditional music, including performances at SXSW and a feature approach by Hans Zimmer’s team for the Kung Fu Panda film franchise.

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Jia has performed at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, SXSW Austin, and even LA Dodgers Stadium. Her global experience allows her to bring a wide-reaching and culturally rich perspective into every lesson.

 

At Muse Mantra, Jia’s teaching philosophy centers on helping students find joy and confidence in their playing. She tailors her lessons to each student's interests—whether it’s Debussy or Disney—and guides them in building strong fundamentals in technique, sight reading, and performance. With her warm, supportive approach and extensive performance background, Jia empowers her students to grow both musically and personally.