Jihyun Baik is a New York–based violinist whose artistry is defined by her passion for performance, collaboration, and education. She has appeared internationally as a soloist, chamber musician, and teaching artist, building a career that bridges classical with contemporary expression.

Born in South Korea, Jihyun began studying violin at the age of three under the guidance of her mother, a dedicated Suzuki teacher. Early in her life, she performed actively in her community, appearing as a soloist and leader of a youth ensemble in concerts at schools, libraries, churches, and other public venues—a spirit of outreach that continues to inform her career today.

As a soloist, Jihyun has performed with the Seoul Royal Symphony Orchestra and the Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra under Maestro Junichi Hirokami. She is the First Prize winner of the Euroasia International Competition, a laureate of the Chicago Violin Competition, recipient of the “Young and Deserving Competitor Prize” at the 36th Rodolfo Lipizer Competition, and a Semi-Finalist of the Sendai International Violin Competition. She also participated in the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis. Festival appearances have included Aspen Music Festival, Pacific Music Festival, Pyeongchang Great Mountains Festival, Taos School of Music, and the Heifetz Institute of Music, where she appeared in the Chamber Music Seminar Program, various Heifetz Ensemble-in-Residence performances, and in the annual Bach Around the Clock program, performing a range of Bach works from solo violin to chamber and cantata repertoire. 

Chamber music is a central part of her artistry. She has performed with musicians she deeply respects, including violist Paul Neubauer on the Heifetz Ensemble-in-Residence Holiday Tour and pianist Émile Naoumoff at the European American Musical Alliance, where she performed traditional repertoire and worked closely with composers to record and premiere new works for string quartet. She has also won the Widder String Quartet Competition at the Manhattan School of Music, First Prize at the Seoul Youth Chamber Music Competition, and participated in the St. Lawrence String Quartet Seminar and the Seoul Spring Fringe Festival.

Equally dedicated to teaching, Jihyun currently serves on the faculty of Musart Music and as a teaching artist for the Harmony Program in New York. Her earlier experiences include leading and coaching the Gwacheon Suzuki Ensemble, where she organized community concerts and recorded CDs in support of eldercare. In 2019, she co-founded SL Music EDU with her mother, creating hands-on music theory materials such as magnetic music symbols and notes, music terminology games, and interactive exercises, which continue to serve as practical tools for young learners.

Jihyun’s studies reflect her wide-ranging influences. She was trained at the Pre-College and College of the Korea National University of Arts, and later earned her Master of Music degree at The Juilliard School under Joel Smirnoff. She completed the Professional Performance Diploma at the Manhattan School of Music in the Pinchas Zukerman Performance Program, studying with Pinchas Zukerman and Patinka Kopec. At MSM she was awarded the Raphael Bronstein Award for outstanding achievement, in addition to her chamber music recognition. She is currently pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at MSM with Pinchas Zukerman and Todd Phillips.

Whether performing as a soloist, premiering new works with composers, or teaching young musicians, Jihyun is committed to a career that unites performance, collaboration, and community engagement.