2025 Guest Artists

Dr. Jason Kwak is an acclaimed pianist and educator, widely recognized for his contributions to both performance and piano pedagogy. A native of Seoul, South Korea, Dr. Kwak holds degrees in Piano Performance from the Eastman School of Music and The University of Texas at Austin, where he studied under eminent instructors Barry Snyder and Nancy Garrett. Currently, he holds the title Regents’ and University Distinguished Professor of Piano and serves as the Keyboard Area Coordinator at Texas State University. His expertise is consistently sought after, as he frequently performs, conducts masterclasses, presents lectures, and serves as an adjudicator across the state, nation, and internationally.

Dr. Kwak’s performance career has taken him to several renowned national and international stages, including over 25 concerti performances. Recent international engagements have included performances in twenty countries through five continents.

 Dr. Kwak has also performed at prestigious venues and festivals across the globe, in addition to performing at over 50 U.S. and international university campuses. An avid chamber musician, he has collaborated with numerous distinguished artists throughout his career. In 2008, Dr. Kwak co-founded Trio 488 alongside his Texas State University colleagues Dr. Ian Davidson and Professor Daris Hale. Trio 488 has commissioned and premiered several new works and has released four commercial recordings.