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Interview with Yura Lee: Falling in Love with the Viola
January 26, 2026, 9:32 PM · "I've never felt lonely playing viola, under any circumstance, whether it's on my own, as part of a chamber group, as a soloist with an orchestra or as part of an orchestra," said Yura Lee, principal violist of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO). "It's an instrument that makes you feel very much a part of something bigger."
Yura -- who also is currently a member of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and Boston Chamber Music Society and teaches at USC's Thornton School of Music -- made a name for herself as a violinist before adding the viola to the mix. In fact, she was the youngest artist ever to receive the Debut Artist of the Year prize at NPR's "Performance Today" awards - at age 12. But she nearly burned out on music before even turning 20.
Yura's musical journey began on the violin, in her native South Korea, when her parents enrolled her in Suzuki violin at the age of 4. They just wanted to give her an extra activity.
"I had an incredible teacher who really fostered the fun in music and knew how to stoke the curiosity in the kids," Yura told me in an interview with Violinist.com. Through the Suzuki class she met Nam Yun Kim, a prominent violin teacher in Korea who became her teacher. Her progress skyrocketed.
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V.com weekend vote: Which is your favorite Brahms Symphony?
January 25, 2026, 6:46 PM · Here is a potentially difficult question: What is your favorite Brahms symphony?
This vote was inspired by my friend Colleen Coomber, who posted this question along with a picture from her hotel practice room of her violin music for Brahms 1, in front of a window overlooking a gorgeous Alaskan backdrop, where she is playing in the Juneau Symphony.
Personally I love them all, and this question seems a little like asking "Which is your favorite child?" I love them all! But in this case, I will decide, at least based on my mood, today. Here is the vote, and below I've provided some listening and some thoughts, in case you need to think about it! And please add your own thoughts about these symphonies - what you like about them, your favorite performances, etc. in the comments!
Scroll to the bottom for listening, and here are my random thoughts on these symphonies.... Keep reading...
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2026 Sphinx Competition Laureates Announced
January 25, 2026, 2:24 PM · Congratulations to the laureates in the 29th Annual Sphinx Competition! The competition started on Jan. 21 in Detroit, Mich. and concluded on Saturday with finalists performing with Sphinx Symphony Orchestra and conductor Kalena Bovell at the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center in Detroit, Michigan. Here are all of the prizewinners:
Senior Division Laureates (Ages 18-30):
- First prize ($50,000): cellist Andres Sanchez of Lansdale, Penn.
- Second prize ($20,000): violinist Sophie Ayer of Austin, Texas
- Third prize ($10,000): bassist Taylor Abbitt of Saratoga, N.Y.
- Audience Choice Prize ($5,000): bassist Taylor Abbitt of Saratoga, N.Y.
Watch the 29th Annual Sphinx Competition Final Concert, with Kalena Bovell conducting the Sphinx Symphony Orchestra:
PROGRAM:
- "Tiny Galaxies" by Rachel McFarlane (9:00)
- Sophie Ayer performs Samuel Coleridge-Taylor's Violin Concerto in G Minor, I. Allegro Maestoso (17:08)
- Andres Sanchez performs Ricardo Castro Herrera's Concerto for Cello in C Minor, III. Vivo (31:40)
- Taylor Abbitt performs Andrés Martín's Concerto for Bass No. 1, Allegro Obsesivo (41:50)
For the Record, Op. 367: Renaud Capucon, Mandolinist Julien Martineau, Hsu-Cho Duo
January 22, 2026, 4:52 PM · Welcome to "For the Record," Violinist.com's weekly roundup of new releases of recordings by violinists, violists, cellists and other classical musicians. We hope it helps you keep track of your favorite artists, as well as find some new ones to add to your listening! Click on the highlighted links to obtain each album or learn more about the artists.
Bach Sonatas & Partitas
Renaud Capucon, violin
"Bach’s music has always calmed and comforted me, while at the same time filling me with feelings of energy and joy." French violinist Renaud Capuçon first became aware of J.S. Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas via an LP owned by his parents. The soloist was Yehudi Menuhin, and the impact on the young violinist was instantaneous, sparking a lifelong devotion to Bach and his music. Now Capuçon has chosen to celebrate the personal milestone of turning 50 by making his first recording of the six exceptional works often known as the "Bible" or "Holy Grail" of the solo violin repertoire. "It was with a mixture of serenity and humility that I approached the recording sessions," he said. "This was a moment of introspection for me, a moment of listening to a voice within myself and of searching for the absolute." BELOW: J.S. Bach's Sonata No. 1 for Solo Violin in G Minor, BWV 1001: IV. Presto.
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