![\"Eunghee](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/P4-Photo-Credit_-Claire-McAdams.jpg\")
<\/p>\nAs the Dallas Chamber Symphony begins its new season, it welcomes a newly appointed principal cellist, Eunghee Cho. Cho will perform at the season opening concert featuring internationally acclaimed pianist Anton Nel on October 14 at the Moody Performance Hall in the Dallas Arts District.<\/p>\n
The Korean American cellist might owe his musical ambitions to his sister. Born in Davis, California, he started playing the piano at age five, but he developed an interest in the cello at age eight after his sister began playing the violin.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was always the younger sibling that wanted what she had, but slightly better,\u201d Cho said. \u201cSeeing my sister play the violin made me want to do something similar.\u201d<\/p>\n
In college, he was studying biology and music, with the intention of going to medical school and becoming a doctor. His first graduate teacher suggested Cho consider a different path.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe kind of convinced me that, \u2018Why don\u2019t you give music a really serious shot where you\u2019re not trying to juggle two workloads and come to Boston, study with me and if you decided after 2 years that this is not for you or if you feel the workload is too different than what you expected, then go back and apply for med school,\u201d Cho said.<\/p>\n
The 1989 film Dead Poets Society made him rethink what he wanted to do with his talents when Robin Williams\u2019 character John Keating talked about the importance of poetry.<\/p>\n
\u201cMedicine, law, business, engineering, these are all noble pursuits, and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s sound cheesy, but it really resonated with me,\u201d Cho said. \u201cOnly one person can say what you say as an artist.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cho went on to complete Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees at New England Conservatory under the tutelage of distinguished pedagogues Laurence Lesser and Paul Katz. He was awarded Second Prize and the special award for Outstanding Chinese New Piece Performance at the Schoenfeld International String Competition (China). Cho also received top prizes at the Chamber Music Yellow Springs Competition (USA), the Gustav Mahler Prize Cello Competition (Czech Republic), and the AEMC International Chamber Music Competition (Italy).<\/p>\n
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\t\t\t\tClaire McAdams<\/p>\n
\t\t\tClaire McAdams<\/p>\n
Cho currently teaches cello at the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston.<\/p>\n
Cho is the cellist of Trio Magnoliana, principal cellist of Mercury Chamber Orchestra in Houston, and Director of Chamber Music for the Texas Music Festival. 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. His students interact with students of various disciplines, and he believes their education is richer for it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the kind of education I find to be so relevant to what musicians need to know how to do and know how to communicate,\u201d Cho said. \u201cKnowing how to navigate being this modern musician is something I\u2019m really excited to be a mentor for.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cho dabbles in arranging. He started creating arrangements in high school for friends who played a variety of instruments. It became a more professional endeavor when he began arranging for his cello quartet.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I wanted to just satisfy my soul, I would program all these strange contemporary works, but I know that\u2019s not strategic for audiences,\u201d Cho said. \u201cSo, I would incorporate a jazz tune people would recognize, Autumn Leaves, or a pop tune people know. I like doing that for the cello quartet.\u201d<\/p>\n
Playing with an orchestra was not his career focus. Symphony orchestras have cello sections consisting of a dozen cellists. He prefers playing with a chamber orchestra like Dallas Chamber Symphony, which has a cello section of six.<\/p>\n
\u201cI find that my voice is so much more significant in that setting and you get to play the repertoire like Beethoven No. 7, which we\u2019re playing October 14, in that context,\u201d Cho said. \u201cMy focus in life has always been chamber music. That\u2019s the reason why I play cello because of these intimate collaborations, and I would be very happy if that were my whole life. Dallas Chamber Symphony allows that intimacy of the small group where I can interact with individual player of the orchestra while still playing this incredible symphonic repertoire. And I love the people. Everyone is such a kind person in the orchestra.\u201d<\/p>\n
He sums up his main job as principal cellist.<\/p>\n
\u201cPractice the cello part just a little more than the rest of the cello section,\u201d Cho said. \u201cMy preparation for it needs to be the highest level of anyone in the section.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t![\"Eunghee](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Eunghee-Cho-Dallas-Chamber-Symphony-3-credit-Mitch-Lazorko.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\tMitch Lazorko<\/p>\n
\t\t\tMitch Lazorko<\/p>\n
Cho leads the cello section during Dallas Chamber Symphony concert.<\/p>\n
Watching the conductor and concertmaster is another key aspect of leading the section. He values the open communication and collaboration Richard McKay, the orchestra\u2019s artistic director and conductor, fosters within the orchestra. He conveys what the section needs to do within the orchestra with his body.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt involves a much more physical way of playing,\u201d Cho said. \u201cWhen there are moments that require particular ensemble precision, then my role is to show that in a way that is more universal for cellists so that there\u2019s no room for individual interpretation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Through his teaching and performing with various chamber groups, Cho has crafted a music career that is in harmony with his purpose and passion.<\/p>\n
\u201cI do simply enjoy life because everything I do is what I want to do and I see the reasons why I should be doing these things,\u201d Cho said.<\/p>\n