UC College-Conservatory of Music Dean Pete Jutras announced on Apr. 29 the appointment of Danbi Um as the college’s new Assistant Professor of Violin, with her faculty position beginning on Aug. 15, 2026.
Um has been recognized for her technical skill and artistry, having received praise from The Strad and New York Classical Review for her performances. She was awarded the Silver Medal at the Menuhin International Violin Competition and received a Salon de Virtuosi Career Grant in 2018. Her career includes concerto appearances, solo recitals, and collaborations with chamber musicians.
She released her debut album “Much Ado: Romantic Violin Masterworks” in fall 2023 and followed it with a second album “PoèmeMystique,” recorded with pianist Juho Pohjonen, in February 2025. Um made her New York recital debut at Lincoln Center in 2018 through the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. She has performed concertos with several orchestras including the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia and Israel Symphony, as well as at venues such as Kennedy Center and Wigmore Hall.
Born in Seoul, South Korea, Um began playing violin at age three and was accepted to the Curtis Institute of Music at ten years old. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Curtis Institute and an Artist Diploma from Indiana University. Her principal teachers include Shmuel Ashkenasi, Joseph Silverstein, Jaime Laredo, and Hagai Shaham.
Jutras said: “An accomplished performer with major competition wins and a vibrant recording career, Danbi Um brings an impressive resume to CCM’s Strings Department. Her performance career spans orchestral, chamber and solo recital appearances, and our students will surely benefit from her abundant artistic experiences. I am grateful to our search committee chair Rachel Calin and committee members James Bunte, Brian Hong, Alexandra ‘Sasha’ Kazovsky and Timothy Lees for their efforts with this successful search.”
