Choi Ha-young and Song-ha: sisters with undisputed musical talent

What are the odds of three siblings all becoming professional musicians? The Choi sisters — Ha-im, Ha-young and Song-ha, born two years apart — not only pursued careers as professional musicians but also achieved international recognition.

Among the three sisters, the two younger ones — Ha-young, 27, and Song-ha, 25 — will perform as a duo in South Korea for the first time in April.

Ha-young, this year's Lotte Concert Hall in-house musician, won first prize at the 2022 Queen Elisabeth Competition in Belgium, while the younger sister, Song-ha, gained recognition by securing second place in the violin category at the 2023 Montreal International Music Competition. Song-ha also reached the finals of last year’s Queen Elisabeth Competition.

The two already debuted as a duo in Italy in October 2024, and they are set to tour together in Belgium in March.

On April 30, they will perform together at Seoul’s Lotte Concert Hall as part of Ha-young's residency concert, presenting Mozart's Duo in G Major, KV 423, and Kodaly's Duo for Violin and Cello, Op. 7. This will mark their South Korean duo debut — a milestone signaling more collaborative performances in the future.

“The cello and violin are positioned at the top and bottom in a quartet, respectively, yet even as just two instruments, we hope to show the rich diversity of string music,” Song-ha said.

Their joint performances arise not from family ties alone but from deep compatibility in their musical identities, the two told The Korea Herald during a video interview last month. Both share a love for folk-inspired music, evident in their decision to include Kodaly's works in their concerts.

They've also embraced Mozart's composition originally intended for violin and viola; Song-ha proposed it, and Ha-young enthusiastically accepted the challenge.

“We match each other effortlessly and naturally on stage. Even when one of us spontaneously improvises or tries out new ideas on stage, the other reacts immediately. I wonder if this connection comes from genetics or from spending so much time together,” the cellist said, adding "Now that both of us have many ideas to share, there are many opportunities for us to explore and experiment with various things together, which is very exciting.”

Pursuing their musical paths has sometimes led them apart, but it has also brought them back together. Ha-young moved to the UK at age 13 to study under Alexander Boyarsky at the Purcell School of Music, then continued her musical education in Germany at age 16, attending Kronberg Academy and the Berlin University of the Arts.

Song-ha, meanwhile, attended a different school in the UK. Eventually, their paths converged in Berlin, where they lived together for four harmonious years, without a single quarrel.

They are sisters, but their personalities and characters are quite different ― evident in their choices of instrument.

Ha-young saw her mom playing the cello as a hobby and it intrigued her; she never once attempted to play the violin.

Song-ha was intrigued by her sister taking cello lessons initially, but after a couple of lessons, she switched to the violin.

"Song-ha has always been very curious. Watching me and our older sister practice our instruments daily, she learned remarkably quickly," Ha-young said of Song-ha.

“When we were younger, it felt more natural to imitate my sisters than to find my own style. Growing up listening to their playing, their interpretations became both my initial inspiration and the standard I measure myself against,” Song-ha explained.

Their personalities also show through their hobbies: Ha-young enjoys calm activities like yoga and ballet, while the younger sister prefers more dynamic ones such as boxing and flamenco dance.

Still, some things clearly unite them ― their shared passion for music, love of performing on stage and their continuous desire to challenge themselves.

When asked about their dreams for the future in elementary school, both sisters struggled to settle on a single occupation. Now, however, they are determined to dedicate themselves fully to music and strive to become truly exceptional musicians.

“It's important not to become overly comfortable the more we perform. Instead, once things start feeling easy, I should resist getting too familiar and continuously look for ways to improve - to keep performing at my best,” Song-ha said.

"There are many alternatives to live concerts, but I want to share the spontaneity performing live brings, by choosing music that deeply connects with the audience and approaching each performance with sincerity and dedication. Even if a piece doesn’t naturally suit me, I try to perform it as though no other music exists, maintaining that level of commitment and respect," Ha-young said.