Ja Yeon Kang

First Prizewinner in the Eum-yeon Competition in Korea and Second Prize recipient at the Chautauqua International Competition, Ja Yeon Kang studied at the Peabody Institute with Ms. Yong Hi Moon for her Master’s Degree, receiving Teaching Assistantship which covered full tuition during her study. In Peabody, she performed as a selected student in the Master classes by Leon Fleisher regularly and also played chamber music with faculties of Peabody and members of Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. On her graduation, she received “Laura Adelberg” award on her chamber performances in Peabody.

Ms. Kang participated in the Mozarteum Music Festival in Salzburg, Austria, the Pianofest in East Hampton, Shandelee Music Festival in New York State, Sarasota Music Festival in Florida and Bowdoin Music Festival in Maine. She also performed in Master Classes of Hwa Kyung Byun, Burnd Glemser, Rebecca Penny, Michael Schaffer, John Perry, Paul Schenly, Susan Starr, Robert Levin, Seymoure Lipkin, and Arie Vardi.

Ms. Kang received her Bachelor’s degree from Seoul National University in Korea with Ick Choo Moon. In Korea where she is originally from, Ms. Kang is a regular lecturer in the educational program of the Seoul Arts Center and her performances have been broadcasted through TV channels. Interested in writing, Ms Kang has been working as a music columnist for Korean music magazine “The Piano Music” and “String and Bow.”

Having moved to London in 2005, she is currently pursuing her second master’s degree in accompaniment, studying with Graham Johnson and Charles Owen at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London and will commence her doctorate degree from September 2007. She was selected to perform in the Barbican Centre in March as a part of “Guildhall Artists at the Barbican” series with Soprano Katherine Broderick and was also presented in “Guildhall Gold” concert in Wigmore Hall in June 2007. Recently Ms Kang won the accompanist prize in the English Song Competition in Guildhall school and she was a semi-finalist in the Lyons International chamber music competition in 2007 with violinist Shana Douglas.

In summer 2007, Ms. Kang has been invited to the Nice Academy in France and the Abingdon Festival in Oxfordshire as an accompaning staff.