Yuri Kang

Violinist Yuri Kang attended Yewon School and Seoul Arts High School, and graduated with honors from the College of Music at Seoul National University, where she was awarded a scholarship. She then moved to the United States to pursue a Master of Music (MM) in Performance and Literature at the Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, in Rochester, New York. She later earned a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Performance from the University of Houston in Texas, on a full scholarship, laying a strong foundation for her career as a professional performer.

Having shown outstanding talent on the violin since childhood, Dr. Kang was recognized for her skills by winning first place in the Sunhwa Competition, the Music Journal Competition, and the Seoul Youth Chamber Music Competition. In addition, with her unwavering passion for music, she demonstrated a wide range of solid performance skills through solo recitals, collaborations, ensemble performances, and orchestral engagements in Houston, Texas; Rochester, New York in the US; as well as in Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Suzhou, Harbin, Xiamen, Changsha, and Ningbo in China.

A chamber musician since Yuri’s school days, she has performed regularly in various cities across the United States, presenting a diverse repertoire as a first violinist with the Eastman Chamber Music Society and with the Tomatz String Quartet. After earning her degrees in the United States, Dr. Kang moved to China, where she became the first foreigner to be appointed concertmaster of the Ningbo Symphony Orchestra. She has also been active on many stages in China, performing not only with orchestras but also with string quartets and other chamber ensembles.

In addition to her work as a soloist and chamber musician, Yuri Kang has demonstrated exceptional musical leadership in orchestral roles, serving as concertmaster of the University of Houston Symphony Orchestra in Texas, the Texas Music Festival Symphony Orchestra in the United States, and the Ningbo Symphony Orchestra in China. In recognition of her outstanding talent, the city of Ningbo awarded her the Camellia Commemoration Certificate, acknowledging Dr. Kang’s significant international influence as a Korean musician. She was also invited twice to perform at the Ningbo International Women’s Music Festival.

Violinist Yuri Kang, who returned to Korea in 2022 and has since performed on various stages throughout the country, previously served as a lecturer at Sangmyung University in Seoul. She currently teaches at the University of Seoul, Jeju National University, and the Arts Education Center of Kangnam University, where she is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of musicians. As a member of Abel Chamber and a resident violinist at Studio Bârâ’, she continues to build a deeper connection with audiences through solo and ensemble concerts.