Dr. Dalaie Choi is an organist, choral conductor, church musician, and pianist whose work spans performance, education, and sacred music leadership across the United States, Europe, and South Korea. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Organ Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Iowa, a Graduate Performance Diploma from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, and degrees in music history and choral conducting from Yonsei University, with additional study at the Yale Sacred Music Summer Academy.
As a recitalist, she has performed on historic and concert instruments throughout the U.S., Germany, Russia, and Spain — including venues such as Yale's Marquand Chapel and Woolsey Hall, Leipzig's St. Michael Church, and the Cavaillé-Coll organ at Santa María del Coro. She currently serves as Director of Music Ministry at a Lutheran church in Wilmington, Delaware, leading choirs, handbell ensembles, and concert series, and as Music Director of a community vocal ensemble that has earned national recognition.
Beginning Fall 2026, Dr. Choi joins the faculty as Adjunct Professor of Organ at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University, teaching applied organ and mentoring students in sacred music and performance. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes individualized instruction, strong musicianship, and meaningful performance opportunities — and she has guided students to top honors in national and international competitions.
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Dr. Choi began her musical training in Seoul, South Korea, earning a Bachelor of Music in Choral Conducting and a Master of Music in Music History from Yonsei University. She moved to the United States to pursue further study at the University of Iowa, where she completed a Master of Arts in Organ Performance and Pedagogy, a Sacred Music Certificate, and ultimately a Doctor of Musical Arts in Organ Performance and Pedagogy, with a dissertation comparing organ master's degree curricula in the United States and South Korea.
Between degrees, she earned a Graduate Performance Diploma in Organ Performance from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, studying with Donald Sutherland and Jeremy Filsell. Her training has been further shaped by fellowships and seminars at the Oregon Bach Festival, the Stuttgart Bach Festival, a German organ study tour, the SOM–FOM International Organ Seminar in France and Spain, and the Yale Sacred Music Summer Academy, where she received a full fellowship in 2025.
Dr. Choi has held positions as a church musician and organist across the U.S. Midwest and East Coast, including First Congregational Church (Moline, IL), First Presbyterian Church (Davenport, IA), and Timonium United Methodist Church (MD). Since 2017 she has served as Director of Music Ministry at Concordia Lutheran Church in Wilmington, Delaware, leading multiple choirs, handbell ensembles, and a brass choir, and curating annual choral-orchestral concerts and recital series.
She maintains an active private teaching studio in Delaware and Pennsylvania, mentoring students who have won awards at competitions including American Protégé, the Crescendo International Music Competition, and the Golden Key Music Festival. Since 2024 she has also served as Music Director of the Dover Jubilee Vocal Ensemble, which earned a Gold Medal at the Golden Key Music Festival under her direction.
In July 2026, Dr. Choi organized and led an immersive organ study project in the Marburg region of Germany, connecting students with local organists and organ builders. This project reflects a broader three-year strategic vision for international learning opportunities in organ and sacred music, beginning with her appointment as Adjunct Professor of Organ at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University in Fall 2026.
Her recital history spans performances at Yale University, the Peabody Institute, Longwood Gardens, the Piccolo Spoleto Festival, and international venues in Germany, Spain, and Russia — including a recital on the historic Cavaillé-Coll organ at Santa María del Coro performing major works by Franz Liszt.
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