Hyung-ki Joo

Known especially for his classical music comedy shows with violinist Alexey Igudesman, pianist Hyung-ki Joo also performs solo and as a chamber musician. He had a brush with pop fame when he recorded the classical works of Billy Joel on the latter's album Fantasies & Delusions. At the Menuhin School, Joo met Igudesman; the two shared a passion for the comedy of Britain's Monty Python collective. Joo made his recording debut in 2000 with other artists on the album Piano Grand!: A Smithsonian Celebration and his solo debut came about on Joel's Fantasies & Delusions the following year. He is best known, however, as one half of the duo Igudesman & Joo, which issued the 2023 release The Music Critic, a project conceived by Igudesman that featured actor John Malkovich. In 2024, Joo and Igudesman announced they would conclude their touring career at the end of 2025.