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Hwayoung Shon

Artist
Story

Bio

Hwayoung Shon is a gayageum virtuoso whose artistry transcends tradition, seamlessly bridging Korea’s rich musical heritage with the contemporary world. Born in South Korea and based in the San Francisco Bay Area, she has dedicated her life to exploring the depth and versatility of the gayageum, breathing new life into its ancient melodies while pushing its boundaries through genre-defying collaborations.

 

Her journey began at the age of three with the piano, but it was at eight, upon hearing the delicate yet powerful resonance of the gayageum, that she found her true calling. Just two years later, she won first place at the National Korean Traditional Music Competition, leading to her debut on KBS’s New Artist Music Concert in 1986—a moment that marked the beginning of a lifelong pursuit of musical excellence.

 

A graduate of Seoul National University, Shon is the winner of numerous national Korean traditional music competitions and has become a pioneering figure in Korean traditional music, performing as a soloist on some of the world’s most prestigious stages and collaborating with orchestras, chamber ensembles, jazz musicians, and world music artists to expand the boundaries of the gayageum. In addition to performing, she has given lectures at universities and led workshops, sharing Korean traditional music with diverse audiences.

 

She also made history as one of the first gayageum musicians to perform an improvisational duo on KBS with a K-pop artist, demonstrating the instrument’s adaptability in contemporary music.

 

Shon’s extraordinary talent has been widely recognized. The late Seong-Chun Lee, former director of the National Gugak Center, praised her as “a once-in-a-generation talent.”

 

Her performances, described as profoundly expressive and technically dazzling, have captivated audiences at venues such as the Herbst Theatre, the World Music Festival in France, and StanfordLive’s Asian Zither Masters showcase. She has collaborated with symphony orchestras, contemporary ensembles, jazz collectives, and global music festivals, redefining the role of the gayageum in modern music.

 

Beyond the stage, Shon is also a composer, weaving the ancient sounds of Korea into new sonic landscapes. Her recent works—“Ritual,” “Nostalgia,” “Into the Abyss,” "Ancient Traveler," "May You Find Rebirth in Paradise," and “Ballade 1894”—reflect her deep connection to history, spirituality, and human emotion. Her performances have been featured on major broadcast networks, including KBS, MBC, EBS, BBC, WGVU-FM, KAZU-FM, CKRL, Wave Farm and more, sharing the beauty of Korean traditional music with global audiences.

 

Through her music, she not only preserves tradition but also redefines the future of Korean music on the global stage.

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Selected Recent Performances

Featured World Music Collaborator & Soloist with Harps of Asia at StanfordLive, 2025

Featured Soloist & Contemporary Music Collaborator with Ensemble Ari, Santa Clara, 2024

Featured Soloist & Contemporary Music Collaborator with Ensemble Ari, San Francisco, 2024

Featured Soloist & Contemporary Music Collaborator. with Ensemble Ari, Moraga 2024

Featured Soloist at Forms & Frequencies, Cantor Arts Center, 2024

Guest Soloist at Pacific Pythagorean Music Festival, Oakland, 2024

Guest Soloist & Collaborating Jazz Improvisation Collaborator at April in Santa Cruz Music Festival, 2024

Featured Soloist with Santa Cruz Symphony at Henry J Mello Center, Watsonville, 2024

Featured Soloist with Santa Cruz Symphony at Civic Auditorium, Santa Cruz, 2024

Guest Soloist at Musical Meditation, San Jose, 2024

Featured Soloist at World Music Composition Class Zoom Concert at UCSC, 2022

Contributed as a Performer &  Cultural Educator in a recorded segment for TIME Kid of the Year 2021

Guest Soloist with Wooden Fish Ensemble at braun Music Center, Stanford, 2021

Featured Soloist, Jazz & Contemporary ensemble Collaborator,, San Francisco,, 2021

World Music Collaborator with Virtual Ensemble Concert Series (Three Performances), 2021 

Scattered Melodies Solo Concert, San Francisco, 2021

Duo Performer in Valentine's Day Show Case with Violinist, Marin Symphony, 2021

Zoom Concert Premiere Duo Performance with Violinist, 2020

Invited Soloist & World Music Collaborator at France World Music Festival, 2020

Guest Soloist at Musical Meditation, San Francisco, 2019

Guest Soloist & Classic Music Collaborator at Amabilis Concert, San Jose, 2019

Solo Lecture Concert, San Jose, 2019

Featured Soloist at The Korea Commemorative Concert at Hearbst Theatre, San Francisco ,2018

Featured Soloist & Collaborator at KAMSA Youth Orchestra, Saratoga, 2018

** and more performances prior to 2018 **

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Selected Major Awards

Grand Prize, Goryeong National Gayageum Competition, 1993

Grand Prize, National Gugak High School Music Competition, 1993

Grand Prize, National Student Traditional Music Competition, 1988, 1989, 1990

Grand Prize, Dalgubeol National Traditional Music Competition, 1989

Grand Prize, National Student Music Competition (Traditional Music Division), 1988, 1989, 1990

Grand Prize, Daegu National Student Music Competition (Traditional Music Division), 1985, 1986, 1987

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© 2022 by Hwayoung Shon

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