ViolinYumi Cho

Canadian violinist Yumi Cho is a graduate of the five-year dual degree program between Barnard College/Columbia University and The Juilliard School. She received her B.A. with honors in Economics and Environmental Science and her M.M. in Violin Performance under the tutelage of Ronald Copes, Naoko Tanaka and Dorothy DeLay. She has also studied with Pamela Frank at The Peabody Institute and Tom Johnson, a former member of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. Her music festival credits include the Verbier, Lucerne, International Holland Music Sessions, La Jolla SummerFest, Cascade, Stuttgart, Britten-Pears, Music Academy of the West, IMS Prussia Cove, Carnegie Hall Professional Workshop, Pacific, New York String Seminar and Aspen festivals.

Ms. Cho’s interests span beyond her passion for music. She is an avid traveler and outdoor enthusiast. She has been extremely fortunate to have traveled to 60+ countries for both musical and exploratory excursions. Road/trail running, trekking and biking are just a few of her outdoor pleasures, which she loves to combine with her travels. A few of her most recent adventures include biking down the Curonian Spit in Lithuania/Russia, completing a half marathon on the Ankgor Wat grounds in Cambodia, a “midnight sun” full marathon 350 km north of the Arctic Circle in Norway and an ultra-marathon along the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans in South Africa. She has also traveled the 7000+ km ride on the Trans-Siberian Railway through Mongolia and Russia, trekked to Mount Everest Base Camp at 18,000 ft. (above sea level) in Nepal and trekked through Patagonia at the southern tip of Chile and Argentina.

Yumi Cho is so thankful that music has brought her to San Diego. She is appreciative of her position with the Orchestra and is always delighted to share music with audiences in San Diego and elsewhere. Ms. Cho was recently profiled as part of Pacific Magazine's "In The Arts" series!

GETTING TO KNOW YUMI CHO…

Q: What are your favorite three tunes or pieces on your iPod/Mp3 or CD collection? 

A: Bach: Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin - recorded by Yuval Yuron
Beethoven: Sonatas for Violin and Piano - recorded by Pamela Frank/Claude Frank
Any/all Berlin Philharmonic Digital Concert Hall recordings 

Q: How did you choose your instrument? 

A: My sister, Yuri, is also a professional violinist. Being the younger sibling, I naturally wanted to do everything that she did. She was a founding member of the award-winning Afiara String Quartet and is currently performing with the Stavanger Symfoniorkester in Norway. 

Q: What are your favorite travel destinations? 

A: I believe that there is something extraordinary to be said about all corners of the world and I could probably find a reason why every place I’ve visited thus far would be noted as one of my favorites. If I had to choose a few right now, I’d have to say that I particularly enjoyed Sweden, Sri Lanka and Myanmar (Burma). Scandinavia is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream backyard and Sri Lanka and Myanmar both unveil breathtaking cultural and hole-in-the-wall food experiences. 

A trip to Sweden (Stockholm, in particular) must include a stroll in the Djurgården gardens, wandering along some or all the 57 bridges connecting the city’s 14 islands and a visit to the Fotografiska museum to admire the photography exhibits. If you are an information sponge, you will appreciate the Nobel Museum. 

There’s too much to say about Sri Lanka, but definitely try to mingle with the locals who are probably some of the most sincere and warming human beings you will ever come across halfway around the world. Also, the train ride between Kandy and Nuwara Eliya in the “hill” countryside is a quintessential experience not to be missed - you’ll take in spectacular views of rolling tea plantations and stylized landscaping. 

Two words about Myanmar: pagodas and lahpet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lahpet) 

Q: What good books have you read most recently? 

A: Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri 
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins 
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
Chi Running by Danny Dreyer
Any National Geographic book/magazine

Q: What is your choice for dining in San Diego? 

A: Extraordinary Desserts, Kaito Sushi, upstairs cafeteria at People’s Market (Ocean Beach) 

Q: Where might you be found on a Saturday night if you’re not performing with the Orchestra? 

A: Probably catching up with friends and family and/or researching my next adventure