The first grand prize winner of the 1988 Carl Flesch International Violin Competition in London, Sungsic Yang has established himself as one of the leading violinists of his generation. Mr. Yang’s international career includes performances with: the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under Sir Yehudi Menuhin, the Scottish National Symphony, the London Mozart Players, the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ireland, the Leningrad Chamber Orchestra, the Warsaw Chamber Orchestra, the Gavleborgs Symphony Orchestra in Sweden, the Stavanger Philharmonic in Norway, the Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra under Lawrence Foster, the Orchestra Symphonique Français under Laurent Petitgirard, the London BBC Symphony Orchestra under Andrew Davis, and the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra under Dmitri Kitayenko, with whom a live recording of the Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky concertos have subsequently been released under the label CBS Korea. Following the success of this first collaboration, he was invited back to perform and record the Brahms and Sibelius violin concertos for Sony Classical Korea in Moscow.
At the request of Lorin Maazel, Sungsic Yang made his Paris concerto debut in 1988 with the Orchestre National de France at the occasion of the conductor’s first subscription concert as the music director of the orchestra.
In addition to several studio recordings with the BBC Concert Orchestra and for Radio France, Mr. Yang’s European tour with the Seoul Philharmonic, the Scottish National Youth Orchestra, and the Gulbenkian Philharmony of Portugal has taken him to Barcelona, Frankfurt, Amsterdam (Concertgebow Hall), Rotterdam, Glasgow, Dublin, Budapest and throughout England. His recitals in prestigious Halls such as Salle Gaveau in Paris, Wigmore Hall in London, Merkin Hall in New York were unanimously acclaimed both by the critics and the audiences. Sungsic Yang was born in Seoul, Korea and started playing the violin at the age of four. While still only eleven he performed in recital and made his concerto debut performing the Mendelssohn concerto with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra.
Upon his graduation from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, he was awarded a full scholarship to study with Yfrah Neaman at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, England until graduation in 1987. At the age of seventeen, he was awarded the third prize at the Paganini International Competition, and other international prizes were awarded from the Long-Thibaud, Lipizer, and Indianapolis Competitions.
In recent years, he was invited to represent Korea as a member of jury at the prestigious Long-Thibaud violin competition in Paris, the Paganini competition in Genoa, Jeunesse International Music competition in Belgrade as well as Munetsugu competition in Nagoya, Japan.
His recording “The streghe”, works by Paganini for violin and guitar, is a record setting big success in Korea and is now becoming very popular in abroad as well. From September 2009, he was appointed Professor of Violin in Daegu Catholic University, and has launched a new string chamber group the “Erato Ensemble” as the Music Director. In recent years He’s been giving concerts and Masterclasses in Switzerland, Italy, USA(Eastman, Indiana, Rutgers, Rowan), Japan, Korea, Russia as well as China and his collegues among others were Professors Zhakar Bron, Shlomo Mintz, David Cerone, Kevork Mardirossian, Takashi Shimizu, Kazuki Sawa and Lenuta Ciulei. From April 2017 till February 2019 he joined the prestigious Tokyo University of the Arts as visiting professor, and from September 2020 he was appointed as the new Dean of Seoul Central Conservatory in Korea. He’s currently playing on a Guarnerius del Gesu 1732, a generous loan from Nippon Violin of Tokyo.
“The 26-year-old Korean had complete command of his instrument, and produced an unusually tense, pure tone…The host of young virtuoso descending on the concert world has increased by one.” – The New York Times
“A sensitive player with a strong vibrant tone” – The Strad
“His wistful, even plaintive tone, produced a perfectly suited Poème” – Indianapolis Star
“We enjoyed his clean, elegant and charming playing” – Le Figaro
“His precise and flexible technique enables him to produce real fireworks… This young violinist has a brilliant future.” – Mainzer Allgemeine Zeitung
“Superbe poignancy and controle revealed an impressive range of expression… the audience was left breathless” – The Salisbury Journal
“The brilliant Korean violinist firmly staked a claim on his audience’s attention with commanding intensity with unhurried grandeur and varied tonal character.” – The Times
“Yang’s performance … was immensely assured, pure in tone, flawless in intonation, a delight to the ear.” – The Guardian
