Hyunah Yu - Biography

Hyunah Yu was supported by Borletti-Buitoni Trust between 2003 and 2007, when this page was last updated.

An American citizen born in South Korea, soprano Hyunah Yu received the prestigious Artist Diploma from the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. A prize winner in the 1999 Naumburg International Competition and a finalist in the 1998 Dutch International Vocal Competition and the 1999 Concert Artist Guild International Competition in New York, Hyunah Yu began her annual collaboration with Blanche Moyse singing all the major Bach oratorios starting with the St. Matthew Passion, both in Vermont and at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in 1999. She is a regular participating artist at the Marlboro Music Festival. She gave her solo recital debut at Carnegie Hall in May 2004. During Spring and Summer 2006, Hyunah sang the title role in Zaïde, directed by Peter Sellars, conducted by Louis Langrée, in a joint production between The Lincoln Centre Mostly Mozart Festival, the Wiener Festwochen and the Barbican. She sang three performances of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Seoul Philharmonic conducted by Myung Whun Chung in December 2006. Hyunah’s EMI Debut disc of Mozart and Bach arias was released in Europe, USA and Korea in January 2007. Hyunah Yu’s 2005 engagements included her solo recital debut for the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, concerts for Montreal’s Andre Turp Musical Society, the Vancouver Recital Society, a Mahler 8th Symphony tour in Europe with the Rotterdam Philharmonic under Valery Gergiev and Bach’s B Minor Mass in Cologne with Semyon Bychkov. She has recorded two solo recitals for the BBC’s Voices programme. Hyunah Yu holds a degree in Molecular Biology from the University of Texas at Austin.

Last updated: February 2007

Receiving the fellowship was the second revelation of my musical life, the first being meeting the venerable Blanche Moyse back in 1999. The BB Trust Fellowship has made it possible for me to find not only prestigious management, amazing exposure to the very best venues, and unmatched financial support, but also the freedom to explore and pursue my dreams of becoming a complete and unique artist. Most importantly, I’ve gained a wonderful family in the BB Trust where I find personal, individualised attention, encouragement, inspiration, support, renewed responsibilities and challenges to share this gift of music.