Esther Yoo

The Strad called Esther Yoo “the model of a violin soloist in the modern age”, and The New York Times described a rapturous audience reaction as “Paganini-like”. Such responses to her performances are echoed in venues globally, and her profound depth of expression and freshness of interpretation, com- bined with breathtakingly dazzling technique, make her unquestionably regarded now as one of the world’s leading violinists.

The 2024/25 season will see Esther debut with Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Calgary Philharmonic, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, and China Philharmonic Orchestra. She will also tour with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Korean Chamber Orchestra and return to iconic venues Wigmore Hall and Concertgebouw Amsterdam, as well as joining Seattle Symphony and Hong Kong Philharmonic for the American and Asian premieres of Raymond Yiu’s Violin Concerto, a piece co-commissioned by both orchestras and the BBC Symphony Orchestra, with which she gave the world premiere in March 2024.

Esther works with the world’s most prominent orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Minnesota Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Orquestra Sinfónica RTVE, Melbourne Symphony, Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, KBS Symphony Orchestra, as well as at venues and festivals such as Lincoln Center, Royal Albert Hall, Seoul Arts Center, Aspen Music Festival, Prague Spring Festival and the BBC Proms. Her collaborations with leading conductors include Gustavo Dudamel, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Jaap Van Zweden, Tugan Sokhiev, Vasily Petrenko, Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Dalia Stasevska, Myung-Whun Chung, and Karina Canellakis.

A prolific recording artist, Esther has released several critically acclaimed albums on Deutsche Grammophon featuring the concertos of Sibelius, Tchaikovsky, Glazunov and, most recently, Bruch coupled with Barber, and is collaborating with Long Yu and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on her new album, set for release during the 2024/25 season. She also features prominently on the soundtrack of the feature film On Chesil Beach, as well as being a guest artist on pianist Chad Lawson’s album breathe, both released on Decca.

As a chamber musician, Esther regularly appears both in recital and as a founding member of Z.E.N. Trio alongside Zhang Zuo and Narek Hakhnazaryan, with whom she has toured North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, and released two albums on Deutsche Grammophon – Brahms and Dvorak trios and Through the Cold, featuring Shostakovich, Babadjanian, Rachmaninov and Khachaturian.

In 2010, she became the youngest prizewinner of the International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition and of the Queen Elisabeth Competition two years later. In 2014 she became a BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist and in 2018 was selected as one of Classic FM’s Top 30 Artists under 30 as well as being appointed as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s inaugural Artist in Residence. In 2020, she was named one of WQXR’s ‘20 For 20’ artists to watch.

Unique among classical soloists in being fully tricultural, she was born and spent her earliest years in the US before receiving her education in Belgium, Germany and the UK, but she proudly retains her family’s Korean heritage. Having roots in three continents contributes to her versatility and exceptionally broad range of expression, and is unquestionably a factor in making her one of the most articulate and gifted communicators in the field of classical music. She regularly creates and contributes to a wide range of publications, podcasts, and broadcasts, covering issues in music and beyond.