Program Bio

Hailed by the Australian Daily Telegraph as a "viola prodigy," Australian-Korean violist Lisa Sung is a laureate of prestigious competitions such as the 12th Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition and the 10th Gisborne International Music Competition. She has performed the Bartók Concerto at the Sydney Opera House and appeared in other prominent venues, including Carnegie Hall, Seoul Arts Center, Berlin Philharmonie, and Royal Albert Hall. Lisa has performed for Australian Prime Minister John Howard and has been featured live on WQXR, Medici TV, and 2MBS-FM (Sydney), earning recognition in both Australian and Korean national publications.

Since joining the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra in 2023, Lisa continues to bring her passion for chamber music and orchestra to the forefront of her career. She has performed with world-class orchestras such as the Boston Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, San Diego Symphony, and San Francisco Symphony. She has worked with renowned conductors including Herbert Blomstedt, Gustavo Dudamel, Andris Nelsons, Esa-Pekka Salonen, John Williams, and Jaap van Zweden.

An avid chamber musician, Lisa has collaborated with artists such as Gary Hoffman, Robert McDonald, Paul Neubauer, and Donald Weilerstein. Her performances span various chamber music series and festivals, including Music@Menlo, Verbier Festival Academy, Yellow Barn, Perlman Music Program Chamber Workshop, and Four Seasons Chamber Music Festival.

A dedicated teacher and mentor, Lisa joined the University of Minnesota School of Music faculty in the fall of 2024. During the 2020-21 pandemic, she coached the Sydney Youth Orchestra, developed a large private teaching studio, and taught at several Australian private schools. Lisa is also committed to community engagement, having performed extensively in nursing homes and hospitals from a young age and participating in programs like the Gluck Fellowship at Juilliard and Music@Menlo Winter Residency.

Originally from Sydney, Lisa holds Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Juilliard School, where she was an inaugural Kovner Fellowship recipient, and a Graduate Diploma from the New England Conservatory. Her teachers include Paul Neubauer, Cynthia Phelps, Kim Kashkashian, and Tobias Breider.  

 

Last edited Sept 2024