Acclaimed by music critics as a “free, warm, and very expressive” performer, cellist, Sarah Hong was born in Seoul Korea. She began studying cello at the age of six and was selected as the most promising young cellist in the nation at the age of 16, her performance was broadcasted nationwide by KBS. She made her New York debut at Carnegie's Weill Recital Hall as a winner of Artists International.

 

Ms. Hong studied at the Juilliard School with Zara Nelsova and Joel Krosnick while receiving both the BM and MM degrees.  She finished her artist certificate in chamber music at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music under the direction of Bonnie Hampton. She studied chamber music with Samuel Lipkin, Jacob Lateiner, Jerome Lowenthal, Toby Appel, The Juilliard String Quartet, Mark Sokol, Ian Swenson, and Jean-Michel Fonteneau.

 

As a soloist, Ms. Hong won numerous competitions including the grand prize from the International Young Artists Peninsula Music Competition, the International Sorantin Young Artist Award, the first prize award from the Jennings Butterfield Young Artist Competition, the Dong-A, Korean Times, and Chosun, Youth Chamber music competitions. She was awarded the Featured Artist Award at the Arts Center, Seoul. 

 

Ms. Hong has performed in venues including Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie Hall, Sun Dorm, Herbst Theater, Sejong  Cultural Center, and Arts Center in Seoul. She has been invited to perform as a guest artist at festivals such as New York Festival, Seoul International Festival, Seoul Youth Festival,  and Overseas Korean Festival (with Suwon Symphony).  At 'Overseas Korean Festival', she had selected as the most outstanding overseas Korean musician.  She premiered ‘Prokofiev Symphonies Concertante’ in Korea with Korean Orchestra (with Korean Symphony) at the Seoul International Festival, and this performance was broadcast worldwide by Arirang TV.  She also appeared at international music festivals around the world such as Salzburg, Holland music session, Nice, Schleswig-Holstein, Bach Academy, Britten Pears, Aspen, Yellowbarn festivals, and Juilliard string quartet seminar. She has worked with renowned musicians such as cellists Janos Starker, William Pleeth, Maud Tortelier, Boris Pergamentschikov, Mark Drobinskyand, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, and chamber musicians Gilbert Kalish, Robert Mann, Felix Galimir, Peabody Trio, Beaux Arts Trio, Weilerstein Trio, St. Lawrence Quartet.

 

Ms. Hong lives in Los Altos where she balances a busy career as a soloist, collaborative artist, and teacher. She is a former member of the New Century Chamber Orchestra, and Broderick String Quartet, and associate faculty at the Zephyr International Summer Music Festival. She has taught many Youth Orchestras including the California Youth Symphony, Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra, The King's Academy String Orchestra, and KAMSA Youth Orchestra. Currently, she is a cellist of Le Due Muse (cello & piano duo) with Makiko Ooka, San Francisco Cello Quartet, and Ensemble Ari. She started the 'Phos (φῶς)' Benefit Concert Series in 2014 to raise money to help support various non-profit organizations serving children in underdeveloped countries and teaches special needs children at AMASE (Academy of Music and Arts for Special Education).