olivia Yelim cho, cello

Equally committed to performance, pedagogy, and outreach, Canadian-Korean cellist Olivia Yelim Cho is devoted to pursuing multifaceted artistry that builds community. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate of Musical Arts at the University of Southern California with Ralph Kirshbaum, where she serves as a Teaching Assistant and most recently won the Thornton Strings Bach Solo Competition (2025) and Thornton Strings Concerto Competition (2024). Concurrently, she holds a position at the Colburn School’s Center for Innovation and Community Impact (CICI) which champions the institution’s community engagement, student pedagogy, and career development initiatives.

Hailed as one of CBC Music’s “30 hot classical musicians under 30,” Olivia debuted with the National Arts Centre Orchestra in 2020 with conductor Alexander Shelley, receiving praise for her “ravishing tone and organically felt phrasing... sincerity, wonderful taste, and a mature aplomb beyond her years” (ARTSFILE). She is a top prize winner of the HKGNA International Music Competition (2025) and Shean Strings Competition (2023), and two-time winner of the Award of Excellence at the National Youth Orchestra of Canada (2021, 2022).

Interested in interdisciplinary collaboration and thoughtful pedagogy, Olivia has engaged in activities including presenting for TEDxYouth on the value of music and performing for the Colburn School’s Musical Encounter Interactive, which brought an educational show blending music and drama to over 1,500 Title I elementary school students. In 2020, Olivia worked with her sister to organize a hybrid benefit concert titled con moto to raise funds for local social justice groups. She has previously enjoyed teaching through Colburn’s Jumpstart Scholarship Program, a fully funded after-school music program for students at the intersection of need and merit.

Olivia began her cello studies with Joseph Elworthy, then completed her BM at the University of Michigan with Richard Aaron and MM at the Colburn Conservatory with Clive Greensmith.