Aaron Copland School of Music

January 24, 2018

To Whom it May Concern:

I am writing in enthusiastic support of Yoonmi Choi’s O-1 Visa application.

I am a jazz musician, pianist, composer and arranger and have been active in the jazz
community of New York and around the world for the last 30 years. I have performed
with, arranged for and/or recorded with many luminaries in the world of jazz including:
Sonny Stitt, Joe Lovano, Dave Douglas, Tom Harrell, the Vanguard Orchestra, Cecil
McBee, Billy Hart, Ray Drummond, Bill Stewart, Chris Potter, Jane Monheit, Bob Berg,
Dakota Staton, Brian Blade, Eddie Henderson and Dick Oatts. I am an award-winning
composer/bandleader (2000 Doris Duke/CMA New Works Creation and Presentation
Grant) with 8 critically-acclaimed recordings as a leader that have been on many critics’
top 10 lists. I am also the director of jazz studies and a tenured associate professor at
the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College C.U.N.Y. (Jazz M.M. program),
and am a visiting professor at Prince Claus Conservatory in Groningen, NL. I have three
books on jazz published by Sher Music Publishing.

I have known Yoonmi for about five years. I first met her when she came to the Prince
Claus Conservatory in 2012. From the beginning, she was an exceptional student. She
had great technique as a pianist and an excellent musical ear.

After graduating from PCC, Yoonmi came to New York and studied at Queens College
where she received a M.M. degree in jazz performance. I was particularly impressed
with her final recital which showed how much she had grown as a jazz musician.

As someone who has lived in New York for over 25 years and teaches workshops
around the world as well as in the above-mentioned schools, I can verify that Yoonmi’s
playing and composing are first rate. She is extremely talented and has unlimited
potential to continue developing into a world-class jazz musician.

In the last few years, I have been pleased to see her career blossom. Yoonmi performs
regularly at many clubs around New York, including Swing46, B.B. King’s, Joe’s Pub,
Café Wha, Club Bonafied, Don’t Tell Mama, Tomi Jazz and others. She has been
featured at the Bay Ridge Concert Series, EnoB Outreach Concerts, Korean Embassy
National Foundation Concerts and the Katz Concert series. She is musical director for
the New York Nightingales, pianist for Garden States Opera and Truffles Jazz off
Broadway Musical. She works regularly with many of the most talented up and coming
young jazz players in New York.

I can think of no better candidate to receive an 0-1 visa than Yoonmi Choi.

Queens College, CUNY | 65-30 Kissena Boulevard | Queens, New York 11367-1597
Phone: 718-997-3800 | Fax: 718-997-3849
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Yours truly,

David Berkman
Pianist, Composer, Recording Artist
Associate Professor in Jazz Studies, Queens College CUNY
Visiting Professor Prince Claus Conservatory, Groningen, NL
917-696-0208
www.davidberkman.com