Cellist Brian Yoon has been described by CBC Music as “Canada’s next cello superstar”. Currently the Principal Cello of the Victoria Symphony, he has also performed as guest principal of the Kingston Symphony and the National Arts Centre Orchestra. Since winning First Prize at the 35th Eckhardt-Gramatté Competition, he has been presented in recital from coast to coast, impressing audiences with intelligent and passionate performances of repertoire ranging from Bach and Beethoven to Shostakovich and Metallica. As a soloist, Yoon regularly performs with orchestras across Canada: his performance of Shostakovich Concerto No. 1 at the National Arts Centre was praised by the Ottawa Citizen as an “impressive account” with “exquisite phrasing”. Recent engagements include Dvorak Concerto with the Sooke Philharmonic, Schumann Concerto with the Montreal Chamber Orchestra, and the Brahms Double Concerto with Terence Tam and the Victoria Symphony.
As a teacher, Brian Yoon is regularly invited on faculty of summer festivals and to lead master classes. His students have been accepted into cello performance programs at the University of Victoria, University of Ottawa and McGill University.
Born in South Korea, Yoon started music lessons at the age of six. After immigrating to Canada, he continued cello studies 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. Yoon 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 (Woodstock, NY) and a 2014 bow by Reid Hudson (Duncan, BC).