Hyo Kang
In recognition of his outstanding contribution to classical music, as a violinist and a teacher for the past three decades, developing innovative teaching methods at the Juilliard School of Music, producing world-class violinists, and creating International Sejong Soloists, directing it to one of the best ensembles in the world, the Korean Concert Society proudly presents this Distinguished Service Award to Professor Hyo Kang, as part of the Centennial Celebration of Korean Immigration to the United States.
His Excellency Ambassador Sung Joo Han will recognize and deliver the award to Professor Kang.
Professor Hyo Kang, the Recipient of KCS Distinguished Service Award, has led a flourishing and versatile career as a violinist and a teacher for the past three decades. He has made numerous concert tours in the United States, Europe, Asia, Canada, and Central America. As a member of the highly acclaimed Theatre Chamber Players of the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, for over twenty years, he has given many works their American premieres, and has enjoyed musical collaborations with such artists as Leon Fleisher, Pina Carmirelli, Walter Trampler, and André Watts.
Prof. Kang, a world-renowned violin teacher, well known for his innovative teaching, has been on the faculty of the Juilliard School of Music since 1978, and has given master classes in the United States, Korea, and Japan. He has also been on the faculty of the Aspen Music School in Colorado since 1978 and the Nagano Aspen Music Festival in Japan since 1994. He was a visiting professor at the Seoul National University in 1994 and served as a judge in several international competitions, including the Wieniawski-Lipinski in Poland. His students have distinguished themselves with top prizes at the world’s most prestigious competitions and are performing with major orchestras worldwide. Prof. Kang’s former students include Gil Shaham, Sarah Chang, and Chee-Yun, among many others. He was born in Seoul, Korea and graduated from the Juilliard School of Music where he studied with Dorothy DeLay. Last March, he was appointed as the Cultural Ambassador by the Governor of Gangwon Province in Korea and was asked to bring the first international music festival to Pyeong-Chang. Most recently, Prof. Kang was the subject of a Korean Broadcasting System documentary titled, “Teaching Genius – Juilliard Professor, Hyo Kang”.
In 1995, Prof. Kang created a string ensemble, International Sejong Soloists (ISS), uniquely comprised of today’s leading young soloists from 8 nations. Under his musical direction, the ISS has given critically acclaimed concerts at the Carnegie Hall, the Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, the Kennedy Center, the 92nd Street Y, Suntory Hall in Japan, Seoul Arts Center in Korea, and the National Arts Theatre in Taiwan. In 1997 the ISS was appointed the ensemble-in-residence at the Aspen Music Festival, a post they still hold today. The ensemble has been featured regularly on National Public Radio’s Performance Today, New York’s WQXR radio, and was broadcast live on WFMT in Chicago from the Aspen Music Festival.
Hyo Kang’s contribution to the music world is unequaled. And as part of the Centennial Celebration of Korean Immigration to the United States, the Korean Concert Society proudly announces Prof. Kang to be the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award.