University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music welcomes new violin faculty member Danbi Um

University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) Dean Pete Jutras has announced the appointment of Danbi Um as CCM's new Assistant Professor of Violin. Her faculty appointment officially begins on Aug. 15, 2026.

Praised by The Strad as an "utterly dazzling artist with a marvelous show of superb technique" and "mesmerizing grace" (New York Classical Review), Um captivates audiences through her virtuosity, distinctive sound and interpretive sensitivity. A Silver Medalist at the Menuhin International Violin Competition and recipient of the prestigious 2018 Salon de Virtuosi Career Grant, she brings her artistry to concerto appearances, solo recitals and collaborations with distinguished chamber musicians.

Recognized by Strings Magazine for her "virtuoso interpretations that evoke the grace and depth of a musical Golden Age," Um released her debut album on Avie Records, Much Ado: Romantic Violin Masterworks, in fall 2023. Her second album, Poème Mystique, in collaboration with pianist Juho Pohjonen, was released in February 2025.

Um made her New York recital debut at Lincoln Center in 2018, presented by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Her concerto appearances include performances with the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Israel Symphony, Auckland Philharmonic, Vermont Symphony Orchestra and the Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra. She has also appeared in recital and chamber performances at major venues including the Kennedy Center, Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center, Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Chicago’s Harris Theatre, Wigmore Hall in London and the Tel Aviv Museum of Art.

Born in Seoul, South Korea, Um began studying the violin at the age of three. At ten, she was accepted to the Curtis Institute of Music, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree. She also holds an Artist Diploma from Indiana University. Her principal teachers include Shmuel Ashkenasi, Joseph Silverstein, Jaime Laredo and Hagai Shaham. A winner of Astral Artists’ National Auditions, she is an artist member of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and performs on a 1683 “ex-Petschek” Nicolò Amati violin, on loan from a private collection.

"An accomplished performer with major competition wins and a vibrant recording career, Danbi Um brings an impressive resume to CCM’s Strings Department,” said Jutras. "Her performance career spans orchestral, chamber and solo recital appearances, and our students will surely benefit from her abundant artistic experiences. I am grateful to our search committee chair Rachel Calin and committee members James Bunte, Brian Hong, Alexandra "Sasha" Kazovsky and Timothy Lees for their efforts with this successful search."

Learn more about Danbi Um at https://www.danbium.com/

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