Wonhee Bae

Wonhee Bae (She/Her) is a faculty member at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM), where she teaches Violin, String and Piano Chamber Music, and Pre-College Chamber Music. A graduate of prestigious institutions including the Royal College of Music and Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris, she serves as first violinist of the Esmé Quartet, which has earned international acclaim.

Her research interests center on violin performance, chamber music interpretation, and string pedagogy. With two critically acclaimed albums on Alpha Classics, she has collaborated with conductors like John Adams and cellist Lynn Harrell, performing at major festivals and venues worldwide.

Awards and Distinctions:

• 1st prize, Wigmore Hall String Quartet Competition
• 1st prize, Lipizer International Violin Competition
• HSBC Laureate
• Prize winner, George Enescu International Violin Competition

Students from her studio, including Shintaro Taneda and Jeeihn Kim, have secured prominent positions and competition wins. She plays on an Andrea Guarneri 1690 violin on loan from the German Foundation.