Meet the Team

Yoojin Jo, Co-President
Yoojin Jo is currently a senior at the Orange County School of the Arts in the Instrumental Music Piano Conservatory. She has been studying the piano for eleven years under Dr. Kookhee Hong and she is the recipient of the Bronze Award for Finland International Piano Competition, Second Prize in the Piano League Piano Star International Competition, and has been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall. Yoojin is particularly passionate about chamber music and the idea of sharing music with other fellow musicians as well as with the rest of the world. Through Barum, she hopes to reach a wider audience who may benefit and also fall in love with the beauty of music-making.

Irene Oh, Co-President
Irene Oh is currently a senior at Palos Verdes Peninsula High School. She has been studying piano with Dr. Kookhee Hong for approximately seven years and can often be found swimming, spending time with her family, and baking. She has was won first place at the Southwestern Youth Music Festival, first place in the MTAC’s Branch Theme Festival, second place at the Satori Summer Music Festival, and honorable mention in the MTAC Piano Concerto Solo Competition. Irene views music as a pathway to freely express the vivid dispositions and imagery unique to each piece of work. She loves performing pieces to an audience, as it fuels a strong sense of exhilaration and pride. She aspires to serve her community by sharing the gift of music through solo and chamber performances, mentoring others, and spreading her enthusiasm for music.

Justina Cha, Recording Secretary
Justina started piano because she was excellent at everything she did that involved dexterity with her fingers. She first signed up for classes very early on in her career which has led up to a passion for music and a desire to spread and help others experience it.

Ethan Choi, Financial Secretary
Ethan started playing the piano at the age of 6. Ethan has been an active soloist as well as a chamber musician. Ethan joined Barum to share musical cultures with the community. His passion for music is to recreate composers' works and share them on the stage by performing.

Isaac Sohn, Assistant Director , Website Development
Over the past seven years, Isaac Sohn has been playing piano and taking every opportunity to improve his skills. Since striking his first notes, Isaac has been personally inspired to create an emotional connection through his music. He has performed at a variety of local and international recitals and competitions, both in person and online. He is currently learning under the direction
of Dr. Hong and is in his sophomore year at Orange County School of the Arts. Isaac has recently won the 1st Prize at the Golden Classical Music Competition, as well as, the 1st Place Prize in the American Prodigy Competition for the Romantic Music Category and will be sharing his passion for classical piano in the Winter Event of 2022 at Carnegie Hall.

Kriti Laddha, Graphic Designer
Music is Kriti's source of inspiration and expression. It soothes her and brings a sense of peace to her mind. She wants to share her talent so that she can connect with other people and get them to love music too. She serves the community through music by holding concerts for everyone to gather and just enjoy the pieces being played.

Isaiah Sohn, Director, Website Development
Music for Isaiah has always been an escape, a way to get away from the stress of the everyday by playing beautiful music. As someone raised around music, with siblings playing various instruments, he realizes that music is a gift meant to be shared to as many people around the world. Music's ability to nurture, move, and create has been well-documented in Isaiah's life and he thinks that for Barum, the possibilities are endless. With its concerts and admirable initiative to spread good through music, this foundation is unique.