Julian Rhee
EOIVC 2020 First Prize Winner
The first prize winner of the 2020 Elmar Oliveira International Violin Competition and most recently named a 2021 Astral National Auditions winner, Julian Rhee is fast gaining recognition as an outstanding musician and performer in the US.
An avid soloist, Julian made his Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra debut at age 8, and has gone on to perform with orchestras such as the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Eugene Symphony Orchestra, San Jose Chamber Orchestra, the Madison Symphony Orchestra, the Avanti Symphony
Orchestra, West Suburban Symphony Orchestra, the Wisconsin Philharmonic, the Lacrosse Symphony Orchestra, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, and most recently, the San Diego Symphony. He has performed in an array of venues including Ravinia’s Bennett Gordon Hall, Heinz Hall, the Overture Center for the Arts, Teatro El Círculo in Rosario, Argentina, The Musikverein in Vienna, Bartok Hall in Hungary, New World Center, and the John F Kennedy Center.
Julian is also the first prize winner of the Johansen International Competition in Washington DC. A Finalist of the National YoungArts Foundation, where he performed at the New World Center in Miami, Julian was also awarded the Solo Bach, Commissioned Work, and the Elaine H. Klein Prize at the Irving M. Klein International String Competition. Subsequently, Julian appeared at the John F. Kennedy Center as a Presidential Scholar and received his medal at the White House. In the summer of 2018, Julian was the recipient of the 2019 Dorothy Richard Starling Foundation Scholarship, and was named the winner of the Aspen Music Festival Violin Concerto Competition, where he performed with the Aspen Philharmonic Orchestra at Benedict Music Tent.
A passionate chamber musician, Julian’s performance on violin and viola earned him and his String Quartet first prize in the 2018 A.N. & Pearl G. Barnett Chamber Music Competition, Rembrandt, Fischoff and the M-Prize International Chamber Arts Competition. This past summer, Julian appeared with the Jupiter Chamber Players in New York City, and also performed with recent Avery Fisher Career Grant Winner Henry Kramer at Pierce Hill Performing Arts in August.
Julian has appeared alongside internationally renowned ensemble Time for Three on NPR’s From The Top, 98.7 WFMT’s Introductions, Milwaukee Public Radio 89.7, Milwaukee Public Television, and Wisconsin Public Radio and Television (WPT/WPR). Julian shares his passion for music by serving in the local community as an assisting artist and mentor of the Wisconsin Intergenerational Orchestra (WIO), which brings together musicians of all ages and skill levels. In addition, he regularly speaks and performs at schools and retirement homes in Wisconsin and Illinois, most recently at Palo Alto High School, West Bend High School and North Shore Country Day School as its Susan Marshall Artist.
Photo: Todd Rosenberg