Judy Kang

Judy Kang
Genres	classical music pop music
Occupation(s)	violinist
Instruments	violin
Website	Judy Kang
Notable instruments
Baumgartner Stradivari

Judy Kang is a Canadian violinist, producer, singer, and composer. Born and raised in Canada to a single mother, she began her career at the age of 4 in her native Edmonton, Alberta, and has since toured across the globe as soloist with a multitude of orchestras and ensembles.

At age 11, she began to study on a full scholarship at the Curtis Institute of Music and at just 17, she graduated with a Bachelor in Music. She graduated high school at age 15, and was selected as an All American Scholar, honoring the top academically talented students in America as well as being nominated for the United States National Mathematics Award (USNMA). At age 19, she was granted the Lily Foldes Scholarship from the Juilliard School, where she graduated with a Masters Degree. She became the first recipient of the Artist Diploma from the Manhattan School of Music. Kang was awarded the 1689 "Baumgartner" Stradivarius, on loan from the Canada Council for the Arts, through a generous donor. She has performed at major festivals such as Marlboro, Ravinia, Banff, Bargemusic, Manchester, Aspen, the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival, Lenaudiere, and the Pablo Casals Festival as well as at various pop and jazz festivals like Lollapalooza and the Festival Internacional Jazz Barcelona, to name a few. Her release of two critically acclaimed solo CDs have been nominated for the Opus award and the Gemini award in her native Canada. Kang’s achievements have garnered her much media attention, frequently appearing on CNN and MTV as well as in myriad print publications including being featured in Chatelaine magazine's 80 women to watch. Kang won the 'Sylva Gelber' prize given to the most talented musician under 30. Further, and in recognition of her outstanding achievement and contribution to the arts, she is featured as an accomplished artist and inspiration in a book entitled “Korea and Canada: A Shared History.”

Besides the world of classical music, Kang also explores other styles, having released a self-titled album ("Judy Kang") to acclaim, all of which was self recorded, composed, and produced. [Release Date: 3/5/13] She was personally selected by iconic sensation Lady Gaga as her solo violinist on the "MonsterBall" world tour in 2010-11, the biggest selling debut tour in history and has since achieved a level of pop culture status as "Lady Gaga's violinist" and was dubbed by the singer as "Nurse Judy/Judy from Juilliard". She performed in sold out venues for millions worldwide. In the midst of touring Europe, She flew to NYC for less than 30 hours to perform as soloist at Stern Hall at Carnegie Hall. The New York Times stated "Judy Kang, a Canadian violinist and most likely the only musician to have worked with both Pierre Boulez and Lady Gaga, was featured in Brahms’s Violin Concerto. Ms. Kang, who drew whoops from the audience before playing a single note, offered a lean, focused sound, pinpoint intonation and expressively molded phrasing. Every line seemed to mean something personal in what amounted to an amorous serenade." She frequently collaborates with artists and living composers including Lenny Kravitz, Olafur Arnalds, Alaskan Indie Rock Band, Portugal The Man. She is an original founding member of Canadian piano quartet, Made in Canada. In response to her well-received performance and collaboration with Pierre Boulez and IRCAM, The New York times wrote, "Violinist Judy Kang, who played with assurance and imagination, became the wizardly master of an entire sound environment." She appeared on the Emmy award winning HBO special “Lady Gaga Presents: The MonsterBall World Tour Live from Madison Square Garden.” She was also featured alongside the pop icon on American Idol playing the violin solo of her hit single, "Alejandro." Since the Fall of 2011, she has collaborated with Ryuichi Sakamoto, who discovered her on YouTube. They have toured Europe and Asia in sold out shows and have released two albums on the Decca label to much celebration. Kang frequently donates her time and talents towards charity, benefits, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, arts education, ministry, and missions. She is an artist ambassador for WorldVision.