biava quartet

Hyunsu Ko
Violin

Violinist Hyunsu Ko began her violin studies at the age of four in South Korea, her native country. Before transferring to the Cleveland Institute of Music to study with Donald Weilerstein in 1999, Ms. Ko studied at the Seoul National University where she was a student of Min Kim, Dean of the College of Music and Director of the Korea Chamber Ensemble. While residing in Korea, Ms. Ko won numerous musical awards including: the grand prize at the Jeju-Korea Broadcasting System Music Competition, first prize at the Chosun Newspaper Music Competition, second prize at the Ewha Kyounghyang Music Competition, and the gold medal prize at the Hankook Newspaper Music Competition. She also won the grand prize at the Ahn Ik-Tae Music Competition (named in honor of the composer of the Korean National Anthem), resulting in her debut performance with the Seoul City Philharmonic Orchestra at the Sejong Music Hall. In January 2006, Ms. Ko performed at the Seoul Arts Center as a soloist with the Korean Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Ko participated in the Bartok Symphonic Series and performed the Bartok Violin Concerto No. 2.

Ms. Ko has also performed solo concertos with the Bucheon Philharmonic Orchestra, Jeju City Symphony Orchestra (five appearances), the Korea Chamber Ensemble, New Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Seoul Arts High School Orchestra. Additionally, Ms. Ko has performed numerous solo recitals in Seoul, Cleveland, and Boston. In Seoul, she was featured as a soloist at the Young Musicians Festival and the Korea-Russia Young Musicians Friendship Concert.

Ms. Ko earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree studying with Donald Weilerstein at the Cleveland Institute of Music and then at the New England Conservatory of Music. Ms. Ko received an Artist Diploma from Yale University in May 2006, where she also served as a teaching assistant to the Tokyo String Quartet from 2004 to 2006.