"Played with great virtuosity and made the instrument sing."(l'Union, France)
"Obviously a player of formidable discipline and considerable musicality. Mr. Shin gave everything a lovely, natural pliancy...dispatched with panache."(Dallas Morning News)
"Talented young Korean virtuoso, dong-ill Shin moved the audience with the combination of warmth and excitement." (El Telegrafo, Uruguay)
"A young man to keep your eye on."
(La Marseillaise, France)
"A Mastery Performance. An impressive concert."
(Sydney Organ Journal)
“Dong-ill Shin was a flash of lightening illuminating the north German organ works. An artist of precision, he transformed the German north wind into a delightful Korean breeze wafting over the Festival de Masevaux.”
(DNA, France)
“One of the world’s most promising talents of his generation, Dong-ill Shin mastered the organ with lightness and abundant expression as well. Everything looked easy to this young Korean virtuoso.”
(Echo Republicain, Chartres, France)
“He extracted the very best from the Cathedral organ, with exquisite lyricism and flawless technique.”
(Havre Libre, Le Havre, France)
His choice of stops reflected his excellent personal taste. He demonstrated how wonderfully an organist can bring life to an organ.” (L’Alsace, Mulouse, France)
"He really played wonderfully! Impeccable technique and mature musicality. His spoken comments were relevant, brief and illuminating. In addition, he was a delightful guest and most enjoyable personally." (James P. Bounemani, St. James' Episcopal Church, Los Angeles CA, presenter )
"Dong-ill Shin offered different periods of music in a very skillful way, with an amazing technique, sensibility, and talent." (ABC, Seville, Spain)
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Dong-ill Shin
concert organist
Organist Dong-ill Shin, winner of the 20th Grand Prix de Chartres, has been hailed as "one of the world's most promising talents of his generation" (Echo Republicain, France) and of having "formidable discipline and considerable musicality" (Dallas Morning, USA) and "an amazing technique, sensibility, and talent" (ABC, Spain). He won first prize in the national competition for piano sponsored by the Korean Times at age ten. When he was 11, he made his debut with The Pusan Philharmonic Orchestra playing Mozart's Concerto in D minor, No. 20. Attracted by J. S. Bach's Music and the orchestra-like colors produced by the organ, he began his studies with Dr. Sun-woo Cho at age 14. He studied with Dr. Tong-soon Kwak at Yon-sei University in Seoul and completed his Bachelor of Music degree in 1997.
He then studied in France with Jean Boyer and received the Diplôme National d'Etudes Supérieures Musicales from the Conservatoire Nationale Superieur de Musique de Lyon in Organ, Harmony, Fugue, Analysis, Improvisation & Basso-Continuo. His dissertation at the Conservatoire was on the study of Tabulatura Nava by Samuel Scheidt which focused on J.P. Sweelinck's influences on him. His studies continued with Olivier Latry and Michel Bouvard at the Conservatoire Nationale Superieur de Musique de Paris in the prestigious Cycle de Perfectionnement program, which is the highest program in the French National Conservatory system. He also undertook private studies with Mme. Marie-Claire Alain for Organ and Mme. Francoise Marmim for Harpsichord. During his years of study in France he won several scholarships including awards from the Darazzi Foundation, the Meyer Foundation and Mécèn de Société Générale. In 2004 he completed his Artist Diploma at The Boston Conservatory on a full scholarship studying with James David Christie.
Shin is a prize winner of international Competitions such as Musashino-Tokyo International Organ Competition in 1996, Ciurlionis International Piano and Organ Competition, Lithuania and The 51th Prague Spring International Music Festival and Competition in 1999, the 21st St. Albans International Organ Competition, Great Britain in 2001 and the 20th Grand Prix de Chartres International Organ Competition in 2006. He has been a featured artist on KBS Radio in Korea, NHK Satellite Television in Japan, France Musique, Radio France & MEZZO Television in France, Lithuanian National Television, Hungarian National Radio, Spanish National Radio, Bayerischer Rundfunk radio, Radio Luxembourg, Australian 'Art and Sound' Radio and WCRB, UPR, KBYU and Pipedream in USA. He has given numerous concerts in France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Spain, Lithuania, Norway, the Czech Republic, Monaco, Luxembourg, Swiss, Netherlands, USA, Canada, Uruguay, Australia and in the Far East at such prestigious venues as Cité de la Musique, Notre Dame de Paris, La Madelein, Cathedral de Chartres and Musashino Bunkakaikan, Japan, Victoria Concert Hall, Singapore, Torch Center, Seoul, Methuen Music Hall, Washington National Cathedral, St. Patrick Cathedral, New York City, Melbourne town hall, Adelaide town hall and music festivals such as Festival d'orgue a Rennes, Festival a St. Etienne du Mont, Paris, Monaco International Organ Festival, Chartres International Organ Festival, St. Albans International Festival, Nuremberg International Festival, Festival du Comminges, International Festival in Ravenna, Estivale d'ete a Carcassone to name a few. Shin was Organist at Marsh Chapel, Boston University and Interim Director of Music at Jesuit Urban Center, Boston where there is historic 1863 Hook & Hastings Organ and is currently the Organist/ Artist-in-Residence at First United Methodist Church of Hurst, TX and adjunct professor of organ at Texas Wesleyan University.