Esther Kwon

Korean American bassist Esther Kwon is a third-year Fellow at the New World Symphony. As a passionate orchestral musician, she has performed in prestigious venues worldwide such as the Elbphilharmonie Concert Hall, Benaroya Hall and The National Concert Hall in Taipei. Some highlights of her past couple years include sharing the stage with esteemed musicians such as Lang Lang, Augustin Hadelich and Orli Shaham.

Recently, Esther performed chamber concerts through the Camphill Village Kimberton Hills Chamber Music Residency Program in Pennsylvania, receiving coaching from Paul Watkins and Steven Tenenbom. In the past summers, Esther participated in various festivals such as the Bowdoin International Music Festival, Festival Napa Valley, Taipei Music Academy and the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, performing a variety of chamber and orchestral works. Coming from a musical family in the Pacific Northwest, Esther also helps her parents with their orchestra academy for young students during the summer, teaching piano, violin and cello to beginner students. She is also active in the Korean American arts community in the Pacific Northwest, performing in recitals, choral concerts and regional orchestras.

Esther received her undergraduate degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of Rachel Calin, having transferred from the University of Washington. In addition to a bachelor’s degree in music, she also earned a bachelor of arts in psychology, having a passion to learn about intellectual disabilities and the human mind. In Cincinnati, Esther was a recipient of the Three Arts Scholarship Award and the CCM Honors Award Scholarship. She completed her master’s degree in bass performance at the Yale School of Music, where she studied with Donald Palma. Outside of music, she enjoys spending her time outdoors, doing yoga and being a home barista.