Elizabeth Woo, Violin

Biography

Eighteen years of age and one of the most promising virtuoso violinists of our time, Elizabeth Woo is already acclaimed for a series of brilliant recital and orchestral performances throughout the United States, Europe and Asia.

Elizabeth Woo's professional career began in 1999 with a guest appearance with the Romanian National Constanza Orchestra, a performance that was telecast intermationally via satellite. Later that year in Bulgaria, she performed and recorded the Sibelius Violin Concerto and Bach's Double Concerto with her eminent teacher, Albert Markov.

In 2002, Elizabeth Woo gave a sensational performance in Seoul of Paganini's 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, a program offered by only a few musicians since their composition c1805. To date, she is the youngest known violinist in history to perform successfully this daunting, virtuoso set on stage. Subsequently, Ms. Woo has presented this solo program in Italy, Miami, McLean, Virginia, at New York City's Carnegie Hall and, in 2005, throughout Korea, where her performances were again telecast to the nation.

After the enthusiastic success of her Carnegie Hall debut, Elizabeth Woo received an invitation from the United Nations (UNICEF) to perform in a memorial celebration, attended by Secretary-General Kofí Annan and representatives of nations around the globe. During the same season, EMI CLASSICS of Korea released her second CD of romantic compositions, and she returned to Carnegie Hall to perform Albert Markov's Porgy Rhapsody with the New Jersey Philharmonic Orchestra.

In Korea, Elizabeth Woo has appeared as guest soloist with the Sung-Nam Philharmonic and Won-Ju Philharmonic Orchestra and, at the Great Mountains International Festival, with the Gang-Reung Philharmonic Orchestra. She has been recognized by the Arts Critic Association of Korea as the "Best Outstanding International Musician of the Year" (2002) and cited as "Artist of the Year 2005" by the Kangwon Talent Support Foundation of Korea.

Elizabeth Woo was born in Freiburg, Germany, and returned to Korea as an infant. At the age of ten, she moved to the United States and entered the Manhattan School of Music to study with Albert Markov, the renowned violinist, composer and a winner of Belgium's Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition. In 2005, Ms. Woo graduated from both Brewster High School and the Manhattan School of Music a full year early in order to focus fully on her international musical career.