Ji Hyun Baik
Violin
Accepted to the preliminary round of the 2026 Naumburg International Violin Competition.

Biography supplied for the 2026 competition.
Jihyun Baik is a New York-based violinist actively performing as a soloist and chamber musician across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Born in South Korea, she developed her passion for the violin through her mother, a dedicated Suzuki teacher. First Prize winner of the Euroasia International Competition and recipient of the Manfred-Grommek-Förderpreis from the Kronberg Academy Masterclasses, she has appeared as soloist with the Württemberg Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn, Seoul Royal Symphony Orchestra, and Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra. Her performances also include frequent solo recitals and chamber concerts across the United States, with recent appearances presented by the Music for Youth Connecticut Emerging Artist Series, Taos on Tour, and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. As a chamber musician, she has toured with the Heifetz Ensemble in Residence and collaborated with distinguished artists including violist Paul Neubauer, pianist Émile Naoumoff, and the Miró Quartet. She also regularly collaborates with living composers through the European American Musical Alliance, SoundBox Ventures, and New York Composers Circle. Jihyun entered Korea National University of Arts through special admission at the age of sixteen, where she studied with Nam Yun Kim, Koichiro Harada, Takashi Shimizu, and Yoo Kyung Min. She later moved to the United States to earn her Master of Music degree at The Juilliard School, studying with Joel Smirnoff, and is currently pursuing her doctorate at Manhattan School of Music under the guidance of Pinchas Zukerman, Todd Phillips, and Patinka Kopec.
2026 International Violin Competition

Pianist and teaching artist León Bernsdorf has performed across Europe, North America, and Asia, appearing as a soloist and in chamber ensembles. His orchestral debut came at fifteen, when he played Grieg’s Piano Concerto with the Hamburg Youth Symphony Orchestra at the Laeiszhalle. Subsequent engagements included the Heidelberg Philharmonic and Hamburg Camerata. He received third prize at the 2016 Liszt Competition in Budapest and has also earned awards at Premio Jaén and the Dallas International Piano Competition.
Bernsdorf earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Boston University and an Artist Diploma at Toronto’s Glenn Gould School. In 2023, he completed his doctorate at The Juilliard School with Robert McDonald, writing his dissertation on Mieczysław Weinberg’s piano music. His collaborative work has included Juilliard’s viola, violin, and voice studios. With violinist Jeremy Lap Hei Hao, he won the Premio Amici della Musica Verona in 2023. His teaching experience includes music history at Juilliard and private piano instruction.