Pianist Hugh Sung has been an active soloist and chamber musician since his debut with The Philadelphia Orchestra at age 11.  Two years later, he was accepted at the Curtis Institute of Music, where his principal teachers included Eleanor Sokoloff, Jorge Bolet, and Seymour Lipkin, along with Karen Tuttle and Felix Galimir for chamber music.  His classical credentials are impeccable, but he's also a technology pioneer who is as comfortable with his MIDI gear as he is with a Steinway. 

Hugh has performed in major cities throughout the world in venues including Carnegie Hall, Weill Hall, Wigmore Hall, The National Gallery of Art, and The Ravinia Festival.  He has made several radio appearances and was featured on NPR's "Performance Today".  His concerto engagements have included The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, annual appearances with the Masterworks Festival Orchestras, and extensive tours with the South Jersey Symphony Orchestra.  Most recently, he was presented on Japanese National Television NHK in collaboration with violinist Aaron Rosand during a recital in Tokyo’s esteemed Ouji Hall.

In addition to his solo performances, Hugh has continued to receive critical acclaim for his ensemble work.  He has been featured in the Philadelphia Orchestra's Chamber Music series, and has also collaborated with The American Quartet, the Diaz Trio, Jeffrey Khaner, Julius Baker, Hilary Hahn, Leila Josefowicz, composers Jennifer Higdon, Robert Maggio, Harold Boatrite, and violinist Aaron Rosand, with whom he has recorded extensively under the Biddulph and Vox labels.  His work can also be heard under the I Virtuosi, CRI, and Avie labels.

In 1993, Hugh joined the faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music, serving as its Director of Instrumental Accompaniment and its world-renown Student Recitals Series.

Hugh maintains an active website (www.hughsung.com) which combines his love for music and passion for technology.  His unique expertise and entrepreneurial spirit have recently culminated in the launch of a new company, Air Turn, Inc. (www.airturn.com), which provides digital sheet music technologies.  Hugh has converted his entire library to digital and Air Turn helps others do the same with a simple laptop and wireless page-turning pedal combo.   He has also pioneered other innovations like the Visual Recital (www.visualrecital.com), which combines images, animation, and video fully synchronized and controlled by the musician.


How did he get involved with Pieris?

Hugh and Pieris founder Eric Haeker share an affinity for technology... the proper technical term for what they do behind closed doors would be "geeking out".  For the uninitiated, this basically means fantasizing about how to accomplish some crazy musical idea via ambitious applications of emerging gadgets.  Fountain is the latest result.