ELAINE KANG, 17, has been playing violin since age four. She is currently a senior at State College High School and studies violin with Professor James Lyon at Penn State and during the summers also with Charles Castleman at the Eastman School of Music. She has appeared on NPR’s From the Top, and most recently has been invited to solo with the Pittsburgh Civic Orchestra in 2012. Elaine has soloed with the Pottstown Symphony, Williamsport Symphony, Pennsylvania Centre Orchestra, Pittsburgh City Music Center Chamber Orchestra, and the Central Pennsylvania Youth Orchestra. In addition, she has performed in the Kennedy Center, in the chamber music series by the Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes, and in a young artists concert at the Bowdoin International Music Festival. She has won first prize in the Children’s Division of the Concerto Competition at Strings International Music Festival, runner-up at the Eastern Division of the MTNA Junior String competition, first prize in the Junior Division of the Phyllis Triolo Competition, and first prize at PMTA Junior and Senior String Competitions. In 2006, she gave her first solo recital, and in 2009 and 2010, she gave charity concerts benefiting the State College Area Food Bank, which she hopes to repeat this year. In addition to playing music, Elaine enjoys winter sports, and used to be a competitive figure skater.
Elaine would like to thank all of the mentors and teachers she has had in her life to shape her music into what it is now, and also the Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes for kindly allowing her to solo with a professional orchestra.