Julia Park

Section Viola
Julia Park

Julia Park began playing the viola when she was 9 years old. She earned her Bachelor's, Graduate Diploma and Master's degrees from the New England Conservatory in Boston, and also holds a diploma degree in performance from the Chicago College of Performing Arts, with full scholarship, under Li-Kuo Chang's tutelage.

Before moving to Boston at age 18, Julia won several national competitions in Seoul, including the Seoul National University Solo Competition, Segye Times Music Competition, Music Journal Competition and University of Seoul Competition (violin and viola section), Seoul Chamber Music Competition of Seoul Arts High School. In 2006, Julia participated in the Pacific Music Festival Orchestra where she worked with Valery Gergiev and was invited again in 2007 to work with Riccardo Muti in Sapporo, Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka in Japan.

Julia was section violist at the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra under Benjamin Zander and has performed with the New World Symphony Orchestra as a substitute during her time in the New England Conservatory. She was also a regular member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago where she worked closely with Michael Tilson Thomas, Riccardo Muti, Yo-Yo Ma, Jaap van Zweden and Carlos Miguel Prieto, and was also selected to join the Citizen Musician Fellowship by Yo-Yo Ma. The panel of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Principal Players recommended her to be the substitute violist of the CSO, and she has played with the orchestra as well. Julia is on the list of substitute violists for the Lyric Opera of Chicago and has also played as a regular member with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra and leaded the viola section for Seoul's Symphony S.O.N.G.

Julia has held solo recitals and chamber recitals several times in Boston and Chicago and also played the Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 as First Viola with David D. Schrader at the Baroque Music Chamber recital at Ganz Hall in Chicago. Her chamber group was selected to play at gala chamber music concerts at Jordan Hall during her time at the New England Conservatory.

In her leisure time, Julia enjoys working out, cycling and coffee.