Esther Choi

Principal Flute

Born in Tokyo, and raised in Toronto, flautist Esther Choi began her flute studies at the Royal Conservatory of Music. She continued her musical education at the University of Toronto with Susan Hoeppner, then with Jeffrey Khaner in Philadelphia followed by her further education at the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University where she obtained both her Masters of Music degree and the Graduate Performance Diploma with Marina Piccinini. Ms. Choi has performed across Europe, Asia, and North America; notably venues including the Seoul Arts Center, the Smithsonian and Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. Ms. Choi has performed under the batons of many conductors including Helmuth Rilling, Sir Andrew Davis, Leon Fleischer, etc. She is currently a freelancer based in Toronto and is also an avid traveler, foodie and member of the Tea Guild of Canada.

What is one piece of advice you would give to aspiring musicians?
Play each note like it'll be your last; make it beautiful.

What role does collaboration play in your musical life, and how has it enriched your experiences?
To me,most performances are essentially chamber music; even when playing with orchestra. You have talented musicians with varying backgrounds & styles coming together to decide on what they want to communicate together and how to convince those who are listening of your decided interpretation / performance. Every collaboration is truly unique and the Japanese philosophy of "Ichigo ichie" applies which makes every performance a 'once in a lifetime' experience for both performers and audience.