Studio Faculty
Jiwon April Hong
TL;DR Bachelor and Master from Juilliard. Doctorate from Stony Brook under Emerson String Quartet. Performances at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Elbphilharmonie. Premiered Roberto Sierra’s Duo Concertante at MoMA, praised by The New York Times. Mentored by Andre Emelianoff, Lewis Kaplan, Joseph Kalichstein. Students accepted to Juilliard Pre-College, Manhattan School of Music, and Mannes Prep. Winners at Camerata, Crescendo, Rondo, and more.
Jiwon April Kim’s journey began in the halls of The Juilliard School, where she earned both her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees under the guidance of Professor Hyo Kang and Dr. I-Hao Lee. Her pursuit of deeper artistry led her to Stony Brook University, where she completed her doctorate under the mentorship of the Emerson String Quartet, Jennifer Frautschi, and Nicholas Cords. But degrees are only part of the story. Jiwon is a devoted chamber musician and fearless interpreter of new music. Her performances have resonated from Carnegie Hall to the Elbphilharmonie, from Lincoln Center to the avant-garde spaces of Spectrum and National Sawdust. Her world premiere of Roberto Sierra’s Duo Concertante at MoMA’s Summergarden was praised by The New York Times and New York Classical Review for its “high energy” and “high quality.”
While at Juilliard, she was shaped by masters; Andre Emelianoff, Lewis Kaplan, Joseph Kalichstein, and played under greats like Esa-Pekka Salonen, Alan Gilbert, and the late James DePreist. Her artistry has been further enriched through masterclasses with James Ehnes, Garth Knox, the Tokyo String Quartet, and others across festivals including Lucerne, Banff, Toronto, and New Music for Strings.
Yet it is perhaps as a teacher that Jiwon's impact is most deeply felt. As a dedicated educator, she has taught at New York Music School and Concordia Conservatory, and served as a judge for prestigious competitions such as Camerata Artists International and Prima Volta. Her students have been accepted into Juilliard, Manhattan School of Music, and Mannes pre-college programs, and earned chairs in elite youth orchestras across the region. Their performances have graced Carnegie Hall, Symphony Space, and more. Their accolades speak to the care, discipline, and devotion that Jiwon pours into every lesson.
Yoon Be Kim
TL;DR Debuted internationally at age 13. Soloist with Busan Symphony, Czech Virtuosi, LA Korean Philharmonic. First Prize at NEC Bales and Waterbury Symphony Competitions. Concertmaster: NEC Philharmonia, Yale Philharmonia, MSM Sinfonia Nova. Degrees from NEC, Yale, MSM. Faculty at JCC Thurnauer.
Yoon Be Kim began her violin studies at the age of five in South Korea and gave her international solo debut at thirteen with the Czech Virtuosi Orchestra. At fifteen, she moved to the United States to continue her training and soon after appeared as soloist with the Busan Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Korean Philharmonic, Kyoto Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, and Waterbury Symphony Orchestra. She is a first prize winner of the Los Angeles Korean American Musicians Association Competition, NEC Bales Violin Competition, and Waterbury Symphony Concerto Competition. A devoted chamber musician and orchestral leader, Yoon Be has performed at festivals including the New York String Orchestra Seminar, Sarasota Music Festival, Pacific Music Festival, and Aspen Music Festival. She has served as concertmaster for the Colburn Chamber Orchestra, NEC Philharmonia, NEC Chamber Orchestra, Yale Philharmonia, and MSM Sinfonia Nova.
Her musical education reflects a deep and continuous pursuit of mastery. She holds a Bachelor of Music from the New England Conservatory, dual master’s degrees from the Yale School of Music, and a Professional Studies Certificate from the Manhattan School of Music. Her principal teachers include Frank Huang, Koichiro Harada, Hyo Kang, and Malcolm Lowe. As a teacher, Yoon Be brings quiet intensity, warmth, and a deep respect for each student’s journey. She currently serves on the violin faculty at the JCC Thurnauer School of Music, where she continues to nurture the next generation of musicians with the same discipline and grace that have shaped her own path.
Jihyang Jennifer Seo
TL;DR Doctorate from Rutgers. Studied with Emerson String Quartet, Soovin Kim, Philip Setzer. Youngest violinist in Gwacheon Philharmonic. Solo performances with Mozart, Brahms, Sibelius concertos. Concertmaster at Rutgers Symphony. Winner of A. Kunrad Kvam Award. Faculty at NY International Youth Philharmonic Orchestra.
Dr. Jihyang Jennifer Seo began her violin studies at the age of ten under the guidance of Junsu Jeong. Her early promise soon led to competition wins across Korea, including Saegaeilbo, Emakchunchu, and Kyung Hee University, where she also became the youngest violinist ever invited to join the Gwacheon Philharmonic Orchestra. After completing her studies at Kyung Hee University, she earned a full scholarship to Stony Brook University, where she trained under a distinguished roster of mentors including Soovin Kim, Philip Setzer, Jennifer Frautschi, Arnaud Sussman, and the Emerson String Quartet. She has performed major concertos by Mozart, Brahms, and Sibelius with orchestras in both Korea and the United States, and has been featured at the Seoul International Music Festival and the Music Academy of the West, studying with renowned artists such as Katherine Winkler, Gil Shaham, Glenn Dicterow, Midori Goto, and Cho-Liang Lin.
As concertmaster of the Rutgers Symphony Orchestra under the mentorship of Carmit Zori, Dr. Seo was awarded the A. Kunrad Kvam Award in Music for outstanding performance on a stringed instrument. In 2022, she earned her Doctor of Musical Arts in Violin Performance from the Mason Gross School of the Arts. Dr. Seo is a passionate educator who brings warmth, precision, and integrity to her teaching. She currently serves on the faculty of the New York International Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, where she continues to guide and inspire the next generation of musicians with the same dedication that has defined her own journey.
Simon Juny Jung
TL;DR Solo debut at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Hall. Chamber performances at Alice Tully Hall, NPR, WQXR. Staff pianist at Mannes School of Music. Pianist for Dalton Baldwin masterclasses. Degrees from Mannes and Manhattan School of Music. Certificate from Music Academy of the West.
Simon Juny Jung is a pianist whose artistry has been heard in some of the world’s most revered halls. He gave his solo debut at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall and later appeared at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center as a chamber musician. His performances have taken him across the globe, with appearances broadcast on NPR and WQXR. A graduate of the Mannes School of Music, where he studied solo piano, Simon went on to earn his Master of Music in Collaborative Piano from the Manhattan School of Music, and further honed his craft through a certificate program at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara.
Simon has served as staff pianist for the Mannes School of Music, and has been a frequent collaborator at Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival in Vermont and Hyo Kang’s Summer Music Camp in New Jersey. He has performed for Dalton Baldwin’s masterclasses at the Korea Music Foundation and has worked closely with the Sejong Soloists. As a collaborator, Simon brings deep sensitivity, clarity, and musical intuition to every performance and rehearsal. His playing supports, elevates, and completes the musical moment—a presence that young artists can trust as they grow and perform.
Yoona Park
TL;DR Juilliard under Heidi Castleman, Hsin-Yun Huang. YoungArts National Winner, NY Virtuoso International Winner. Soloist with Walton, Hindemith, Stamitz, Hoffmeister concertos. Principal viola: NY Youth Symphony (Grammy Award Winner), Aspen Chamber Symphony. Guest artist at New World Symphony.
Yoona Park is a rising violist currently pursuing her Bachelor of Music degree at The Juilliard School, where she studies under Heidi Castleman and Hsin-Yun Huang. A winner of the YoungArts National Competition and the New York Virtuoso International Competition, Yoona has appeared as soloist in concertos by Walton, Hindemith, Stamitz, and Hoffmeister with orchestras across the country. As an orchestral musician, she has served as principal violist of the Grammy Award-winning New York Youth Symphony and the Aspen Chamber Symphony of the Aspen Music Festival & School. She has also performed as a guest artist with the New World Symphony for two consecutive seasons, earning praise for her poised leadership and expressive tone.
A committed chamber musician, Yoona brings a thoughtful, collaborative spirit to each ensemble. She frequently performs alongside distinguished artists and continues to grow as both performer and mentor through her devotion to the art of ensemble playing. Yoona's approach to teaching is grounded in both technical clarity and heartfelt connection. She inspires young violists to listen deeply, play with intention, and discover the voice within their instrument.