Flutist ji weon ryu is the first asian wind principal to join the louisiana philharmonic orchestra.
Biography.
Admired for her “pure poetry” and “beautiful technique and sound” (NFA Chronicle), Ji Weon Ryu is one of the most versatile flutists of her generation. Appointed Principal Flute of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra by Carlos Miguel Prieto in 2019, she became the first Asian to join the orchestra’s wind section. She has frequently performed with the New York Philharmonic and other distinguished ensembles in New York, such as the Chautauqua, Princeton, Syracuse Symphonies, as well as the Caroga Lake Music Festival Ensemble and the Jupiter Symphony Chamber Players.
She has also held Principal Flute positions with the Albany Synphony Orchestra, the Britt Festival Orchestra, and the Seoul Arts Center Festival Orchestra. Her orchestral performances have taken her to numerous international venues, including Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie Hall, David Geffen Hall (New York), Dvořák Hall (Prague), The John F. Kennesy Center (Washington, D.C.), Musikverein (Vienna), Tanglewood Music Center, and the Verbier Festival.
Since her solo debut with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 12, Ji Weon has maintained an active career as a soloist and chamber musician. As a founding member of Frisson, an “explosive” New York City-based nonet, she has toured more than 20 cities across the U.S. each year and has been featured on NPR’s Performance Today. She is also a co-founder of Ensemble Blank, a group that explores new sounds in unconventional venues, and has been invited to perform at the 2024 BBC Proms Korea.
An avid recording artist, her recordings as Principal Flute include many contemporary works with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, winning the 2024 Grammy Award for Best Regional Roots Album. Her recent recording of Debussy’s “Afternoon of a Faun”, arranged for octet and released by Delos Productions, has garnered acclaim for her “coiling flute” from Limelight Magazine and her “seductively spun” interpretation from Apple Music.
With unparalleled control of her tonal palette, Ji Weon has received First Prizes at the 2017 Artur Balsam Duo Competition, the 2016 New York Flute Club Competition, and the 38th National Flute Association Soloist Competition along with the Best Performance of Newly Commissioned Piece Award, and has received the 2017 Young Artist Award from the Kumho Asiana Cultural Foundation in South Korea.
In addition to her stage performances, Ji Weon is dedicated to teaching. She has served on the Flute Faculty at Louisiana State University and has given masterclasses and clinics at The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, Berklee College of Music, Tulane University, and the University of Kansas. In 2024-2025, she will be a featured artist at the Northwestern State University Flute Festival, National University of Tainan (Taiwan), and will serve as program co-chair of the Louisiana Flute Society.
Apart from sharing classical music with audiences, Ji Weon enjoys arranging and performing pop tunes at the popular Instagram/YouTube channel, JHM Jams. One of the videos she featured has over 52k views and has been recognized by entertainment studio, Lionsgate and fashion magazine, Glamour.
Ji Weon holds a Master of Music degree in orchestral performance from Manhattan School of Music and both a Bachelor of Music degree and an Accelerated Master of Music degree from The Juilliard School. Her principal teachers include Young Ji Song, Carol Wincenc and Robert Langevin.
She has also held Principal Flute positions with the Albany Synphony Orchestra, the Britt Festival Orchestra, and the Seoul Arts Center Festival Orchestra. Her orchestral performances have taken her to numerous international venues, including Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie Hall, David Geffen Hall (New York), Dvořák Hall (Prague), The John F. Kennesy Center (Washington, D.C.), Musikverein (Vienna), Tanglewood Music Center, and the Verbier Festival.
Since her solo debut with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 12, Ji Weon has maintained an active career as a soloist and chamber musician. As a founding member of Frisson, an “explosive” New York City-based nonet, she has toured more than 20 cities across the U.S. each year and has been featured on NPR’s Performance Today. She is also a co-founder of Ensemble Blank, a group that explores new sounds in unconventional venues, and has been invited to perform at the 2024 BBC Proms Korea.
An avid recording artist, her recordings as Principal Flute include many contemporary works with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, winning the 2024 Grammy Award for Best Regional Roots Album. Her recent recording of Debussy’s “Afternoon of a Faun”, arranged for octet and released by Delos Productions, has garnered acclaim for her “coiling flute” from Limelight Magazine and her “seductively spun” interpretation from Apple Music.
With unparalleled control of her tonal palette, Ji Weon has received First Prizes at the 2017 Artur Balsam Duo Competition, the 2016 New York Flute Club Competition, and the 38th National Flute Association Soloist Competition along with the Best Performance of Newly Commissioned Piece Award, and has received the 2017 Young Artist Award from the Kumho Asiana Cultural Foundation in South Korea.
In addition to her stage performances, Ji Weon is dedicated to teaching. She has served on the Flute Faculty at Louisiana State University and has given masterclasses and clinics at The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, Berklee College of Music, Tulane University, and the University of Kansas. In 2024-2025, she will be a featured artist at the Northwestern State University Flute Festival, National University of Tainan (Taiwan), and will serve as program co-chair of the Louisiana Flute Society.
Apart from sharing classical music with audiences, Ji Weon enjoys arranging and performing pop tunes at the popular Instagram/YouTube channel, JHM Jams. One of the videos she featured has over 52k views and has been recognized by entertainment studio, Lionsgate and fashion magazine, Glamour.
Ji Weon holds a Master of Music degree in orchestral performance from Manhattan School of Music and both a Bachelor of Music degree and an Accelerated Master of Music degree from The Juilliard School. Her principal teachers include Young Ji Song, Carol Wincenc and Robert Langevin.
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