Claire Youn

Claire Youn is a student at the University of Virginia and currently a member of the Charlottesville Symphony. She began her violin studies at age five under the instruction of Hae-Jin Kim.

As a solo musician, Claire won first place in the American Protégé International Piano and Strings Competition (2021) and received second prize in both the 2020–2021 Canadian International Music Competition and the GLORY International Competition. In 2022, she won first place in the OMEA Oregon State Chamber Ensemble Contest and second place in the Monday Musical Club Scholarship Competition.

Claire has been actively involved in numerous chamber music groups and orchestras. She joined the Portland Youth Philharmonic Association in 2015, where she has served as Principal Second Violin since Season 98. In 2021, she performed in the NAfME All-National Honors Symphony Orchestra, the OMEA All-State Orchestra, and the Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall in New York City, presented by WorldStrides. She also participated in the National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute in 2021 and attended Interlochen Arts Academy’s Violin Intensive Camp in 2022. Claire has performed in masterclasses led by Ara Sarkissian, Jun Iwasaki, the Mivos Quartet, and Teresa Stanislav of the Calder Quartet.

In 2025, Claire was selected to attend the National Orchestral Institute (NOI) in Maryland for advanced summer studies.

Passionate about teaching and community engagement, Claire is honored to share her love of music through her work with Music4Harmony.