Instrument/Department: Violin, Chamber Music Connection
Joined Hochstein faculty in: 2023
South Korean violinist Jeongwon (Claire) An is a versatile violinist experienced in solo, chamber, and orchestra settings who joined the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra in September 2023 as a member of the first violin section.
As a chamber music enthusiast, Jeongwon is a founding member of Trio Menil, the Grand Prize and Odyssey Chamber Music Series Award winner of the 2023 Plowman Chamber Music Competition, and is a recipient of the Peter Salaff Prize in Chamber Music from the Eastman School of Music. She feels grateful to have performed the U.S. premiere of Yevhen Stankovych’s “Almost Serenade” for Two Violins in recital with Oleh Krysa, and shared the stage with Jon Kimura Parker, James Dunham, and Norman Fischer.
She was invited to participate in numerous international festivals including Mozarteum Sommerakademie, IMS Prussia Cove, Aspen Music Festival, and New York String Orchestra Seminar (NYSOS), and in concert venues like the Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and various halls in Asia.
A recipient of the Korean Embassy’s Korean Honor Scholarship, Jeongwon has served principal positions in the Shepherd School Symphony, Eastman Philharmonia, and Aspen Festival Ensemble. She also performed as an acting concertmaster of Symphony S.O.N.G. (Seoul, South Korea), and as a substitute violinist in the Minnesota Orchestra.
Jeongwon has studied and worked with inspiring master musicians such as Pierre Amoyal, Steven Doane, James Dunham, Anthony Marwood, Donald Weilerstein, and Kathleen Winkler, and will always be a student of her loving mentors, Fung Ho, Paul Kantor, and Oleh Krysa. She holds her degrees from the Eastman School of Music and the Shepherd School of Music, and is currently playing on a 1703 G.B. Rogeri violin, generously on loan from the Maestro Foundation.
More About Jeongwon Claire An
Hometown: Seoul, South Korea
What inspires me: All my teachers I have studied with, but especially Professor Oleh Krysa from the Eastman School of Music. He always encouraged me to “try everything and see what happens” and those words still always motivate me to work harder to become a better musician.
Favorite things to do in the Rochester area: Going to the Public Market on Saturdays. I also love going to Javas for coffee, cakes, and good times, and it has been so much fun to play great music with wonderful musicians of the RPO every week!
When I’m not at Hochstein, you can find me: Visiting all my friends’ cats.
My favorite local restaurant: Does Hedonist Ice Cream count as a restaurant? Their strawberry ice cream is the best strawberry ice cream I have ever had!
Favorite place to travel: Anywhere in Europe. So much beauty in every city and every corner I look around!
Favorite composer: Changes every time, but for now… Beethoven!