Korean-American violinist Brian Hong has studied at The Juilliard School under the guidance of Laurie Smukler and Donald Weilerstein. He also holds a bachelor’s degree from the New England Conservatory and a master’s from Juilliard, where he was awarded a Kovner Fellowship. As a soloist, he has performed with orchestras such as the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra, Chesapeake Orchestra, US Army Orchestra, National Philharmonic, Springfield Symphony Orchestra, and Juilliard Orchestra, and has won top prizes in many major US competitions.
In addition to his many solo achievements, Brian has extensive experience as a chamber musician, having performed at such festivals as the Bowdoin International Music Festival, Music Academy of the West, Taos School of Music, Perlman Music Program, Kneisel Hall, and Yellow Barn. At the New England Conservatory, he studied both classic and contemporary quartet repertoire with mentors such as Laurence Lesser, Kim Kashkashian, Donald Weilerstein, and Lucy Chapman. Highlights of his past seasons include performances of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto with Kyle Wiley Pickett and the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, and performances of Schoenberg’s Violin Concerto with Edward Gardner and the Juilliard Orchestra. Brian is a co-artistic director of Nexus Chamber Music Chicago, a collective of vibrant and dynamic musicians who serve to deconstruct the barriers between classical artists and audiences with varied and unique chamber music performances in unconventional venues. As part of his fellowship with Ensemble Connect, Brian teaches at Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music.