Composer, performer, and curator Il Hoon Son creates music as a field of questions—not to resolve, but to briefly suspend time and invite presence. Attentive to the space where sound lingers between silence and speech, he draws on classical music alongside literature, dance, Korean traditional music, and improvisation, shaping works that balance structure with vivid immediacy.

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At the center of his Musical Game Series are four pieces that transform “game” into a compositional method. Played as real-time listening games onstage, they turn the concert into an arena: performers react in the moment, audiences can grasp the rules, and the shared tension often releases into laughter and applause. 20 Questions sets two pianists into alternating roles of asking and answering; premiered at Dag in de Branding in The Hague, it has remained one of his most frequently performed works. Rhythm Bomb drives the ensemble through rhythmic cues and quick reflexes; premiered at Muziekgebouw Amsterdam, it was warmly received and later returned in the Nieuw Ensemble’s farewell concert. Game of Yut “All or Nothing” translates a traditional Korean board game into musical action, while Sense stages a collaboration between a human and a robot conductor—both premiered by the National Orchestra of Korea and covered by outlets including Classic FM and Forbes.

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Beyond the series, Son’s ensemble work Meditations invites listeners into quiet, attentive time, while Gradient for solo flute explores gradual shifts of density and color. As a producer and pianist, he has released two albums: In Early Spring (2024) and the solo piano album At Your Dawn (2025).

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As a curator, Son is drawn to “mix-and-match” programming across eras—from Renaissance music to contemporary works—while placing classical repertoire in dialogue with Korean traditional music and jazz, and bringing overlooked or lesser-known pieces back into the light. His work also extends beyond the stage through artistic leadership: Artistic Advisor for Music in PyeongChang (2019–2022), Music Director for Bupyeong Arts Center’s Brunch Concerts in Incheon (2021–2024), Artistic Director of the 9th M Classic Festival at Mapo Arts Center in Seoul (2024), and Artistic Director of Geumjeong Classic Week in Busan (2024–2025).