This summer, Sunkyung Hwang (DMA ’09) presents Suzuki training sessions in Bali, Indonesia (June 24-29) and Manila, Philippines (July 2-8). Formerly a tenured professor of Yewon Arts University, Sunkyung has refocused her attention to the Suzuki Method and teaching a variety of students ranging from age 3 to trainees.
Acclaimed as “brilliant, elegant in style and totally dependable cellist” after her solo debut at Seoul Art Center with the Seoul Orchestra, Sunkyung Hwang has performed as soloist with the Daejeon Philharmonic Orchestra (Korea) and Melbourne Festival Orchestra (Australia), amongst numerous others. She has also been featured in the Gumho Young Artist Concert Series and the 21st Century Soloist Chamber Series by the Korea Broadcasting System.
Sunkyung’s real pursuit for cello started at the preparatory school of the Korea National University of Arts, under Professors Minja Hyun and Sookjung Lee. After receiving a Bachelor’s degree from Yonsei University, her interest in teaching brought her to study with Mineo Hayashi at the International Suzuki School in Matsumoto, Japan. She then entered Yale University on a full scholarship, studying under Professor Aldo Parisot and the Tokyo String Quartet. Upon completing her Master’s degree from Yale, she continued pursued a Doctoral degree at The University of Texas at Austin under Professor Bion Tsang.
Born in Korea, Sunkyung grew up in a Suzuki environment. Her father, a Suzuki violin teacher, trained under Dr. Suzuki, himself, and Sunkyung experienced the Suzuki method for 6 years as a violinist before studying the Suzuki method as a cellist. While a student, she attended the Suzuki Conference several times in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Australia. She took Suzuki Teacher Training courses in Korea, Japan and the United States with Professors Kyungik Hwang, Minja Hyun, Mineo Hayashi, Gilda Barston, Pam Davenport, Takao Mizushima, and Melissa Kraut.
Now a Suzuki cello teacher trainer in the Korea Suzuki Association, Sunkyung is also a Professor in charge of Suzuki majors at the Kookmin University Graduate School and a cello instructor at Sunhwa Arts Middle School.
Sunkyung enjoys balancing life as a teacher and a performer. Besides being a soloist in concerto concerts, she also has held solo recitals in the USA and Korea. As a chamber musician, she was a member of Prism String Quartet, Yale Cellos, Trio Ui and Principal Cellist of the W Philharmonic Orchestra and Korea Suzuki String Orchestra.
Longhorn Cellos 