Yoonah Oh

Biography

Combining her strong background in classical and jazz, Yoonah Oh brings a fresh perspective to her music.

Born in Seoul, South Korea, Yoon Ah Oh grew up in a musical family and completed her undergraduate degree in classical composition at Hanyang University. When she was 16 years old, Yoon Ah won the 2nd prize at Seoul CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) contest and, shortly after, she began participating in numerous music albums as a session musician, as an arranger, and as a chorus singer. During her college years, Yoon Ah began to invest her time to explore different styles of music and did not limit herself to classical music, the field of her major. She also participated in numerous Korean Pop (K-POP) albums as a piano/keyboard session musician and as an orchestra arranger. Her contributions included successful albums of some of the most renowned Korean singers, including Kyuchan Cho, So Eun Lee, Woo Won, and Ash.

Yoon Ah has written numerous popular songs. “With All My Heart”, one of her ballads, won the grand first place in the prestigious, Jae Ha Yoo Song Festival. Yoon Ah’s love and passion for music did not stop there. She wanted to creatively intertwine different styles of music, particularly with Jazz.

After receiving a B.M. degree from Hanyang University in 2007, Yoon Ah moved to the USA to study Jazz at Berklee College of Music. Yoon Ah was honored with the entrance award, the Berklee North America Scholarship. At Berklee, she earned a diploma in Jazz Composition and Piano Performance (Cum Laude). She learned from and worked with famous figures, including Joanne Brackeen, Tim Ray, Jetro da Silva, Scott Free, Bob Pilkington and Greg Hopkins. By working with these experienced musicians, Yoon Ah’s music grew immensely in a short period of time. Her musical talents and endless efforts earned her the Piano Department Achievement Award, CJ Foundation Scholarship and the Berklee Achievement Scholarship as a student. Another highlight among all the recognitions Yoon Ah received as a gifted musician was being given the opportunity to have a concert at Berklee Performance Center, a venue open to only a few talented musicians.

Yoon Ah’s musical journey continued outside the school. Yoon Ah quickly became one of the most demanded pianists in the New England area, owing to her versatility in various styles of music, including Jazz, Funk, Gospel, R&B, Pop, Rock and Classical music. In 2010, she became an integral part of Streets Band, with whom she performed across the New England and eastern area.

In 2022, Yoon Ah took on the roles of associate music director, conductor, and keyboardist for the Off-Broadway smash hit musical "Titanique" in New York City. The show's immense popularity led to seven extensions, and it is now open-ended, with three additional productions launching in London's West End, Canada, and Australia.

Yoon Ah possesses extensive recording experience, and additional CD albums are slated for release in the near future. Notably, for one of her recent works, "Grace sings Grace, Grain Offering," she collaborated as a composer, arranger, and performer with Grammy Award Winner, Mr. Tally Sherwood. Yoon Ah's performance venues include jazz clubs, concerts, and conferences across the country (for a comprehensive list, please refer to her discography).

Currently, she is an associate music director/keyboardist for the Off-Broadway musical “Titanique” in New York City, music program (K-POP) faculty at Bergen Performing Arts Center (BergenPAC) and music director at Cham Doen Presbyterian Church (CDNJ).