Wright State University music professor In-Hong Cha and the Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela captured two 2018 Pepsi Music Awards in Venezuela for Best Classical Album of the Year and Best Classical Artist of the Year.

The awards, designed to highlight the best of Venezuelan musical talent, were presented during a gala on Sept. 27 at the Tamanaco Commercial City Center in Caracas. The gala was broadcast live on the national television channel Televen.

The award has become the most important in Venezuela because it is awarded by the combination of the vote of the members of Pepsi Music Academy and the public.

The Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela is the oldest symphony in Latin America and one of the most important orchestras on the continent. Cha has regularly conducted the orchestra as a guest conductor.

Cha won with the album “Textures From The North of South,” produced by the acclaimed producer Hildemaro Álvarez, who is one of the most awarded and recognized musical producers in Latin America. The album, which was recorded in 2017 in Caracas, was nominated for the 2017 Latin Grammy Awards. The album is available at iTunes, Amazon and Google.

Cha, known as the Maestro in a Wheelchair, is considered a violinist of delicate and refined musicality. He teaches applied violin, serves as director and conductor of the University Symphony Orchestra, is concertmaster of the Wright State Chamber Orchestra and leads the Faculty String Quartet.

As a violinist, Cha has traveled throughout the United States and internationally in Russia, Mexico, Canada, Venezuela, Paraguay, Brazil, Italy, Croatia, Germany, Paris, China, Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia, Saipan and Korea.

He has conducted numerous orchestras such as St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra in Russia, Orquesta Sinfonica de Venezuela, D’Camara Strings in Venezuela, Gangnam Symphony Orchestra, Busan Symphony Orchestra, Soliall Philharmonic Orchestra, Amabile Chamber Orchestra of Korea, New York Brooklyn Conservatory Orchestra and the South Carolina Chamber Orchestra.

Cha formerly was the concertmaster in the Daejeon Philharmonic Orchestra, principal second violin in the South Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra and music director of the Amabile Chamber Orchestra. His first debut recording as a conductor was with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra in Russia.

Cha’s autobiography, “Beautiful Man Beautiful Success,” and “Wheelchair is My Wing” led to the production of two documentary films by the Korea Broadcasting System. He also has received the Korean Presidential Award for the most distinguished Korean living in a foreign country.