Faculty Bio: Dongwon Shin

Born in South Korea, pianist Dongwon Shin made his debut at the age of 14 with the Sunhwa Symphony Orchestra. He has performed extensively as a soloist and collaborative pianist across the United States, Asia, and Europe. His recent performances include appearances at the Chautauqua Institution, Prague Music Performance (PMP), the Eastman Leadership Conference, and the NCKP Piano Conference. He currently serves as Adjunct Piano Faculty at SUNY Onondaga Community College in Syracuse, New York. 

As a researcher, Shin is a passionate advocate for contemporary music, particularly chamber works by living female composers, which he has presented at major conferences such as the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) National Conference and the College Music Society (CMS) National Conference. As a performer, his artistry has also been recognized through numerous prizes, including the International Asia Chopin Competition, the Millersville International Competition, the Southern Illinois Young Artist Competition, and the MTNA Stecher-Horowitz Two Piano Competition.

A dedicated educator, Shin taught with Indiana University’s Teaching and Learning Distance Center, where he provided online piano instruction to students in the Dominican Republic. At the Eastman School of Music, he taught secondary piano classes and was nominated for the Teaching Assistant Prize for Excellence in Teaching. His students have achieved notable successes, including winning top prizes in competitions such as the University of Rochester Concerto Competition.

Shin completed a Bachelor’s in Music Education at Konkuk University in South Korea and a Master’s in Piano Performance at Indiana University Bloomington, where he studied with Roberto Plano. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance and Literature with a minor in Music Theory at the Eastman School of Music, where he studies with Alan Chow and previously served as his studio teaching assistant.