Dr. Sharon Gayoung Cho – Founder & Artistic Director
Internationally acclaimed violinist and educator Dr. Sharon Gayoung Cho, DMA, brings a distinguished career as performer and mentor to the Music Matters Lab Collective. Accepted at just 15 years old on full scholarship to the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, she completed both her undergraduate and master’s/post-graduate performance degrees there before earning an Artist Diploma from the Yale School of Music and a Doctor of Musical Arts from Rutgers University.

Dr. Cho has performed as soloist and chamber musician at leading venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Vienna’s Musikverein, and is a prizewinner in international competitions such as the New York Artists Internationaland Premio Città di Padova. A dedicated educator, she is a long-standing faculty member of the Summit Music Festival, where she mentors emerging young artists.

Motivated by a lifelong belief in the transformative power of music, Dr. Cho founded the Music Matters Lab Collective to create more opportunities for exceptional young musicians—providing access to inspiring performances, meaningful mentorship, and high-level educational experiences that nurture both artistry and community engagement.