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Ji Weon Ryu, flute
Admired for her “pure poetry” and “beautiful technique and sound” (NFA Chronicle), Ji Weon Ryu has been the Principal Flute of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra since 2019 and is the first Asian wind principal of their history. She also holds the same position in the Albany Symphony Orchestra since 2017.
Ji Weon has performed with distinguished ensembles such as the New York Philharmonic, Chautauqua, Princeton, and Syracuse Symphonies, and has appeared as a soloist with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, Seoul Chamber Orchestra, and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. During recent summers, Ji Weon has participated as a Principal Flute at the Britt Festival, Verbier Festival, and Tanglewood Music Festival.
With unparalleled control of her tonal palette, Ji Weon has won First Prize at the 2017 Artur Balsam Duo Competition, the 2016 New York Flute Club Competition, and the 38th National Flute Association Soloist Competition along with the Best Performance of Newly Commissioned Piece Award, and has received the 2017 Young Artist Award from the Kumho Asiana Cultural Foundation in South Korea.
Ji Weon has performed extensively as a recitalist and a chamber musician all over the US and South Korea. She regularly tours with the Frisson, an "explosive" New York City-based chamber ensemble as a founding member, and is a co-founder and the artistic committee of the Ensemble Blank, a contemporary group based in Seoul that strives to push boundaries of classical music repertoire and searches for unconventional concert venues.
In addition to her appearance on stage, Ji Weon is also committed to teaching. She has been a clinician at The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, Berklee College of Music, Louisiana State University, Louisiana Flute Festival, Loyola University, Tulane University, and the University of Kansas. In 2022-2023, she has served as a Flute Instuctor at Louisiana State University.
Ji Weon holds a Master of Music degree in orchestral performance from the Manhattan School of Music and both a Bachelor of Music degree and an Accelerated Master of Music degree from The Juilliard School. Her principal teachers include Robert Langevin, Carol Wincenc, and Young Ji Song.