About

Born in Korea, American-Korean composer Jiyoung Ko creates orchestral, chamber, and vocal works driven by narrative, emotional transformation, and a deep commitment to communicating lived experience through sound. Her music is shaped by an interdisciplinary curiosity in anthropology and psychology, informing her exploration of meaning beyond data and her choices among countless possibilities. Grounded in rich textures, resonant color, and poetic, delicately sculpted melodic lines, her work balances intellectual depth with emotional accessibility and seeks to communicate with others.

Ko’s music spans a wide stylistic range, from experimental and cutting-edge to more traditional idioms, while remaining rooted in clarity and expressive immediacy. Her works have been performed internationally by ensembles and musicians including the Grand Rapids Symphony, La Jolla Symphony, Mivos Quartet, Dal Niente, Brightwork Ensemble, WasteLAnd, Del Sol String Quartet, Cepromusic Ensemble, Palimpsest, New York New Music Ensemble, Contemporary Music Ensemble Korea, NEC Honors Ensemble, KNUA Chamber Ensemble, Min Kwon, Christopher Adler, and Dan Lippel, among others. Recent highlights include the Asia premiere of Undulate for khaen at the National Gugak Center in Seoul, the premiere of Leaf by Leaf, Dream by Dream, commissioned by the La Jolla Symphony, and a feature of boiling/blooming at the HEAR NOW Music Festival. Ko is currently developing a new opera, Three Women, as one of eight recipients of OPERA America’s 2026 Discovery Grant for Women Composers, supported by the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation.

Ko holds a Master of Music in Composition from the New England Conservatory, as well as both a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Arts in Composition from the Korea National University of Arts. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate (ABD) in Music Composition at the University of California, San Diego.

Ko’s recognitions include being a finalist in the League of American Orchestras’ Women Composers Readings and Commissions Program, supported by the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation. Her orchestral work Remembrances was selected for the American Composers Orchestra’s EarShot New Music Readings, performed by the Grand Rapids Symphony, and awarded the ArtPrize 10 Public Vote Award. She was also selected for the Civic Orchestra of Chicago New Music Workshop, receiving coaching from the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) at Chicago’s Symphony Center. Additional fellowships include the June in Buffalo Music Festival, Pacific Rim Music Festival, and NONG Music Festival.