Soojin Han
Violin
It is a real pleasure to welcome back the young Korean violinist, Soojin Han, to play with the NSO again. Soojin performed the Brahms concerto at the NSO Friends' Concert in 2005, when she was just 18 years old, making a lasting impression on all those present.
Born in Korea in July 1986, Soojin moved to the UK when she was two. Here she began her violin studies at the age of eight and won a place at the Yehudi Menuhin School before moving to the Purcell School to study with Dr Felix Andrievsky. She has had close guidance in her musical development from the international soloist Kyung Wha Chung and, in 2004, took lessons with Mr Zakhar Bron. Currently Soojin is continuing her studies with Ms Mi Kyung Lee. She has also participated in the Open Chamber Music at IMS Prussia Cove, Cornwall.
Soojin won second prize as the youngest competitor (and was the youngest ever top prize winner) at the Wieniawski International Violin Competition 2001 in Poznan, Poland where she was also awarded seven other special prizes including the Critics' and Journalists' Prize and the Listeners' Award. She also won first prize at the Tunbridge Wells International Young Concert Artists Competition 2002. Other awards include the LSO Scholarship Competition 2002, Martin Music Scholarships, the Musicians Benevolent Fund's Manoug Parikian Prize, Royal Philharmonic Society's Emily Anderson Award and Hattori Foundation Scholarships.
Soojin has given recitals throughout Europe and in the USA and has made many concerto appearances, playing with the London Symphony, Poznan Philharmonic, Tokyo Philharmonic, London Soloists Chamber Orchestra and L'Ensemble Ricercata de Paris. These concerts have taken her to prestigious venues such as the Royal Festival Hall, Wigmore Hall, Barbican, Royal Opera House Linbury Studio, Purcell Room, St Martin-inthe- Fields, St John's Smith Square, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Witold Lutoslawski Hall in Warsaw, Adam Mickiewicz Auditorium in Poznan and Bunkamura Orchard Hall, Tokyo. Soojin has also broadcast on Polish, Dutch and Korean Radio.
Soojin plays on an old Italian violin, made by JB Guadagnini and kindly lent by Charles Beare in 2001.
Correct at time of performance with NSO, November 2006.