Berlin Staatskapelle Concertmaster Lee Ji-yoon, Kumho Art Hall Yonsei Recital

On the 21st... Schubert, Lutosławski, Dvo??k, and Prokofiev

Violinist Lee Ji-yoon, the youngest and first Asian female concertmaster of the prestigious Berlin Staatskapelle, which boasts a history of over 450 years, will hold a solo recital on the 21st at Kumho Art Hall Yonsei.

This is the final stage of this year's 'The Violinists' series presented by the Kumho Cultural Foundation. The Violinists series focuses on Korean violin queens who have dominated the global stage. Previously, Lim Ji-young and Cho Jin-joo performed in The Violinists series.

Violinist Lee Ji-yoon [Photo by Kumho Cultural Foundation]

Lee Ji-yoon will perform Schubert's Violin Sonata 'Duo,' followed by Lutosławski's Partita, Dvo??k's Violin Sonatina 'Indian Lament,' and Prokofiev's Sonata No. 2.

All four pieces feature closely intertwined melodies between violin and piano, requiring highly synchronized interplay between the two performers, and are works characterized by ever-changing rhythms and a wide range of emotional expression. She will perform together with pianist Boris Kusnezow.

Born in Seoul, Lee Ji-yoon began playing the violin at age four. After studying at the Korea National University of Arts, she studied under Kolja Blacher at the Berlin University of the Arts Hans Eisler. She gained recognition by winning international competitions such as the Carl Nielsen, David Oistrakh, and Windsor Festival competitions. In September 2017, she joined the Berlin Staatskapelle and in May of the following year became the first Asian, first female, and youngest concertmaster in the orchestra's history.

She was praised by The New York Times as "a soloist with a luscious tone," and her debut album released in 2018, 'Korngold & Nielsen Concertos,' received critical acclaim, being selected as 'Editor's Choice' by BBC Music Magazine and Gramophone Magazine. She was the resident musician at Kumho Art Hall in 2020 and received the Byuksan Arts Award in music this year.

Pianist Boris Kusnezow, who will accompany her, has been invited as an official accompanist to international competitions such as ARD, Joseph Joachim, Hanover, Stuttgart, and Queen Elizabeth. He is the founder and artistic director of the Montecastelli Chamber Music Academy in Italy and currently serves as a chamber music professor at the Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy University of Music and Theatre.