As the laureate of both the 2007 International Markneukirchen and Sion-Valais International Violin Competitions, Korean born violinist Sunmi Chang has performed widely to much acclaim throughout North America and Europe as a soloist and chamber musician. At the age of 17, she toured with the Yehudi Menuhin School Orchestra playing Bach Double Concerto for 2 violins conducted by Lord Menuhin in UNESCO Headquarters and Guildford Cathedral in England. In 2008, Sunmi was the soloist on Yale Philharmonia's tour to Seoul, Beijing, and Shanghai, performing the Beethoven Concerto. To celebrate Beethoven’s 250th birthday, she returned to Yale, performing Beethoven Triple Concerto with cellist Paul Watkins, pianist Melvin Chen conducted by Peter Oundjian.
An active chamber musician, she has been invited to take part in chamber music festivals such as the Rising Stars Series at Caramoor, Vivace Music Festival, Music@Menlo, Music in the Vineyards, and Chamber Music Northwest. Sunmi is also the Founder & Artistic Director of Summit Chamber Music Series committed to bringing world-class chamber music to West Virginia.
In December, 2023 Sunmi released “Mother Tales” under the Parma recordings with pianist Clara Yang, an album that pays tribute to four remarkable women composers – Florence Price, Gabriela Lena Frank, Liliya Ugay, and Amy Beach.
Sunmi received her Bachelor’s degree at the Hanns Eisler Musikhochschule in Berlin, Master’s & Artist Diploma degrees at Yale School of Music, and the Doctoral degree from the University of Michigan. Her principal teachers have included Eberhard Feltz, Peter Oundjian, Soovin Kim, Ani Kavafian. She recently joined as the violin faculty at the School of Music at the University of Oregon.