WONBEN CHUNG

Wonbeen Chung was born in 1997 in Daejeon, South Korea. She completed her Bachelor's degree at the age of 21 with Prof. Mi-kyung Lee at the University
of Music and Performing Arts in Munich, Germany and master's degree and postgraduate studies with Prof. Pierre Amoyal at the University Mozarteum Salzburg. Currently she is completing the Meisterklasse certificate program with Prof. Ingolf Turban at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Munich, Germany.

In 2015 she made recital debut in Korea at the Kumho Arthall as Kumho Young Artist. She was a prize winner at numerous national and international competitions, including the Lipiński International Violin Competition in Poland (3rd Prize, two special prize, 2024), Postacchini International Violin competition in Italy (2nd prize, 2019), 14th Carl Flesch International Violin Competition in Hungary (laureate, special prize, 2023) and the International Violin Competition Henri Marteau in Germany (laureate, 2017) and In 2021-2022, she was selected as a scholarship recipient by Yehudi Menuhin Live Music Now Salzburg, and 2023 received funding provided by Sumi Jo through the Embassy of the Republic Korea in the Republic of Austria.

1. Was there a specific moment or experience that made you realize you wanted to become a musician?

1. After I started learning the violin, my mom often took me to really wonderful concerts. One of the earliest memories I have is hearing I Musici perform Vivaldi’s Four Seasons in Korea. I was still very young, but I remember feeling deeply moved in a way I couldn’t quite explain. Listening to performances like that gradually sparked a dream in me - to become a musician who could create that kind of feeling for others.

2. When you perform, what do you hope to communicate or make the audience feel?

2. People respond to music in their own unique way, and I’m always open to that. Still, I hope my playing can move them and reach their hearts. And I want the music to touch something personal in them, to create a moment where we’re all connected without words.

Especially in a time like this, when the world feels so chaotic, I hope my playing can offer some kind of comfort or healing, even if just for a moment.

3. If you had to present yourself by playing a single piece from the entire repertoire, which one would you choose, and why?

3. If I had to choose just one piece to present myself, I would choose Chausson’s Poème. It feels like a quiet confession - tender, introspective, and full of longing. There’s a certain emotional depth in it that’s hard to put into words, and when I play it, I feel like I’m telling a story I couldn’t otherwise explain.