Brian Yoon

Cello

Cellist Brian Yoon has been described by CBC Music as “Canada’s next cello superstar”. Since winning First Prize at the 35th Eckhardt-Gramatté Competition, he has been presented in recital from coast to coast, with repertoire ranging from Bach and Beethoven to Shostakovich and Metallica. As a soloist, Brian has appeared with orchestras in works by Brahms, Dvorak, Elgar, Haydn, Lalo, Morawetz, Schumann and Shostakovich.

Currently the Principal Cello of the Victoria Symphony, he has also appeared as guest principal with the the National Arts Centre Orchestra. Brian served as Assistant Principal Cello of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra for part of the 2016/17 season.

Teaching is an important part of Brian’s career. In addition to being on faculty at the Victoria Conservatory of Music, he teaches regularly at summer festivals and was a guest instructor at the University of Ottawa in 2016. He was recently an adjudicator for the Vancouver Kiwanis Music Festival.

Born in South Korea, Brian started music lessons at the age of six. After immigrating to Canada, he studied with Judith Fraser at the Vancouver Academy of Music, where he was awarded the Certificate in Music Performance. He began post-secondary studies in the Faculty of Science at UBC, but later completed a Bachelor of Music at the University of Ottawa studying with Paul Marleyn, and a Master of Music at Rice University studying with Desmond Hoebig. Brian has been generously supported by the BC Arts Council, the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Sylva Gelber Music Foundation.

He currently plays a 2010 cello by David Wiebe of Woodstock, NY, and a 2014 bow by Reid Hudson of Duncan, BC.