Unpil Baek is a pianist, improviser, and composer whose musical voice flows freely across jazz, classical, global, sacred, and experimental traditions. Originally trained in classical piano, he discovered jazz during college, via Weather Report albums — a
turning point that deepened his musical voice through improvisation.

While pursuing doctoral research in quantum computing at the University of California, Berkeley, he began playing in ensembles at the California Jazz Conservatory and UC Jazz, learning from mentors such as Glenn Richman and Marcos Silva. He also studied composition with professors Cindy Cox and Myra Melford to broaden his creative palette through experimental and collaborative work.

To Unpil, music is a way of connecting people across boundaries — a language that speaks through feeling, form, and presence. Whether performing, composing, or improvising, he treats music as an offering: honest, responsive, and shaped by both
structure and spontaneity.