Praised for her profound depth of expression, freshness of interpretation, and dazzling technique, Esther Yoo is unquestionably one of the world’s leading violinists. Her artistry has been recognized worldwide with The Strad hailing her as “the model of a violin soloist in the modern age”.
The 2025/26 season includes the release of her new Deutsche Grammophon album Love Symposium, featuring Bernstein’s Serenade, recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Long Yu. She also performs with the BBC Scottish Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, Shen-zhen Symphony, Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León, Presidential Symphony and Evergreen Symphony Orchestras, returns to the Z+ International Chamber Music Festival and makes her re-cital debut at Seoul Arts Center with pianist JaeHong Park.
Recent seasons have featured performances with the New York Philharmonic, Munich Philharmonic, Philharmonia Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, Seattle Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Shanghai Symphony, and China Philharmonic Orchestras. She has also appeared with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Seoul Philharmonic, Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Orchestre National de Lille, Orquesta Sinfónica RTVE and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras. Esther appears regularly at venues and festivals such as Wigmore Hall, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Lincoln Center, Royal Albert Hall, Aspen Music Festival, La Folle Journée, Prague Spring Festival, and the BBC Proms.
Her collaborations with leading conductors include Gustavo Dudamel, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Jaap van Zweden, Tugan Sokhiev, Lahav Shani, Vasily Petrenko, Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Dalia Stasevska, Myung-Whun Chung, and Karina Canellakis.
An active chamber musician and recitalist, Esther is also a founding member of the Z.E.N. Trio with pianist Zhang Zuo and cellist Narek Hakhnazaryan, with whom she has toured internationally and released two acclaimed albums on Deutsche Grammophon. A prolific recording artist, she has released several albums on Deutsche Grammophon, and features on the Decca soundtrack of On Chesil Beach, and pianist Chad Lawson’s album breathe.
Esther may be unique among classical soloists in being fully tri-cultural. She was born and spent her earliest years in the U.S., before receiving her education in Belgium and Germany, but she proudly retains her family’s Korean heritage. Having authentic roots in three continents contributes to her versatility and exceptionally broad range of expression, and is unquestionably a factor in making her one of the most articulate and gifted communicators in the field of classical music.
Her distinctions include BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist, Classic FM’s “Top 30 Artists Under 30,” the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s inaugural Artist-in-Residence, and WQXR’s “20 Artists to Watch.” In September 2025, Esther joined the Royal College of Music as Professor of Violin, a position she holds alongside her vibrant performing career.
