Kristen Yeon-Ji Yun

Dr. Kristen Yeon-Ji Yun, a clinical associate professor in the Department of Music in the Patti and Rusty Rueff School of Design, Art, and Performance at Purdue University, is active as a soloist, chamber musician, musical scholar, and clinician. Her recent CD “Summerland” has excellent reviews from New Classics UK, American Record Guide, and was broadcast nationwide by radio stations such as WQXR, WCNY, WBAA, and NPR Sonatas and Soundscapes.

As a performer and clinician, Yeon-Ji Yun has toured many countries including Malaysia, Thailand, Germany, Mexico, Japan, China, Hong-Kong, Spain, France, Italy, Taiwan, and South Korea giving a series of successful concerts and master classes. She is a winner in numerous competitions around the world including the IBLA World Competition in Italy in 2008, the 11th Annual Competition in the Performance of Music from Spain and Latin America, Travel Grant Competition, Walton Concerto Competition at Indiana University, Indianapolis Matinee Musicale, Chunchu Music Competition, Seoul National Competition, Nan-Pa Music Competition, and the Korean American Competition. In 2011, Yun received an Honorable Mention in the Liszt-Garrison International Competition Collaborate Artist in Baltimore, MD. She has soloed with many orchestras such as Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra, Korean Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Mesa University Orchestra, and Indiana University Orchestra.

Before joining Purdue, she was an assistant professor (2012-2018) and associate professor (2018-2021) of Lower Strings at Colorado Mesa University. Before 2012, she taught at Indiana Wesleyan University, DePauw University, Indiana University String Academy, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, and Seoul National University as an instructor. Yun was a principal cello in Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra, and a member in Lafayette Symphony Orchestra, and Korean Symphony Orchestra.

She received the Doctor of Music on cello performance in 2012 from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music at Bloomington, where she studied with the world-famous cellist Janos Starker. She also has the Performer Diploma from the same school. She received master and bachelor degrees on cello performance from Seoul National University.

Yun performs on a French cello, made by Guersan in 1766.