VIOLIN Soojin Han

‘Soojin is a wonderful violinist with extraordinary subtlety and great expressiveness…and remarkable instrumental mastery’  - Gidon Kremer

Soojin Han was born in Korea and moved to the UK when she was two.

She began playing the violin at the age of eight and entered the Yehudi Menuhin School before transferring to the Purcell School under Felix Andrievsky’s tutelage.

She furthered her education at Oxford University and the Royal Academy of Music in London, and also pursued professional studies at the Kronberg Academy under the guidance of Ana Chumachenco.

Soojin has performed as a soloist with orchestras such as the London Symphony, Poznań Philharmonic, Tokyo Philharmonic, Seoul Philharmonic, Korean Symphony, Zhejiang Symphony, London Soloists Chamber Orchestra, L'Ensemble Ricercata de Paris.

She has given concerts in various locations, including most major concert halls in London, across the UK, Europe, and the Far East in various venues, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Suntory Hall, Operacity, Bunkamura Orchard Hall in Tokyo, Osaka Symphony Hall, and Seoul Arts Center, Sejong Center in Seoul.

Her performances have been broadcast on Polish, Dutch, Korean and US radio.

Soojin achieved second prize as the youngest participant and the youngest grand prize winner in the history of the Wieniawski International Violin Competition 2001 in Poznań, Poland. She also received seven other special awards, including the Critics' and Journalists' Award and the Polish Radio Listeners' Award.

In addition to these accomplishments, she won the first prize at the Tunbridge Wells International Young Concert Artists Competition, and the Bayreuth International Competition.

Among her other awards are the Musicians Benevolent Fund's Manoug Parikian Prize, the Royal Philharmonic Society's Emily Anderson Award, the LSO Scholarship Competition, Martin Music Scholarships, Hattori Foundation Scholarships, an Allcard Award from the Worshipful Company of Musicians, a Countess of Munster award, and Young Artist Award in the music category by The Korean National Academy of Arts.

Soojin's passion for chamber music has led her to participate in Open Chamber Music at IMS Prussia Cove in Cornwall on several occasions since 2003. She also performed various chamber music works with Andras Schiff, Gidon Kremer, Yuri Bashmet, and Frans Helmerson at ‘Chamber Music Connects the World’.

In addition to her career as a musician, she also serves as a cultural representative for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is the sole representative for Classical Music on the Board of Advisors for Cultural Exchange. She is also a member of the Board of Advisors for the Preparatory Committee of the Pacific Islands Summit to be held in 2023. Furthermore, she holds the position of Head Associate Director at the Busan International Classical music festival(BICmf), and acts as an Ambassador for the charitable organization: Love Violin.

She plays a 1666 Antonio Stradivari, generously provided by an anonymous benefactor.