Yoona Jeong

CONDUCTOR

Fueled by a passion for bringing music to life, South Korean conductor Yoona Jeong won First Prize at the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra Conducting Competition and received the Best Interpretation Prize at the 17th Khachaturian International Competition. This year, Jeong was among 14 candidates selected from 197 applicants from 47 countries to participate in the prestigious La Maestra Paris International Conducting Competition. She was also invited to the Järvi Academy to study with Neeme Järvi, Paavo Järvi, Kristjan Järvi, and Leonid Grin, as well as the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music to study with Cristian Măcelaru.

Jeong has collaborated with professional orchestras, including the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Paris Mozart Orchestra, the Pärnu City Orchestra, and the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra. She assisted Manfred Honeck and worked with guest artists such as Lang Lang and Ray Chen when she worked with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, she worked on the Pittsburgh Symphony’s Pops Concerts alongside Byron Stripling. She also appeared as an assistant conductor with the Dallas Symphony, working with Fabio Luisi and Augustin Hadelich. Her talents were showcased in the documentary film "Symphonic Sketches," which selected and received nominations at various film festivals, including the Charlotte Film Festival and the Mesa International Film Festival.

Jeong is the first female Asian conductor to be named Assistant Conductor of the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra and the Reno Chamber Orchestra. Her previous roles include Music Director of the Slippery Rock University Symphony Orchestra (currently on leave) and the University of Texas University Orchestra, as well as Assistant Conductor of the Austin Symphony Orchestra.

Jeong’s international experience is extensive, with invitations to the Pärnu Music Festival, the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, the Princeton Festival, the Medomak Music Festival, and the Pierre Monteux School and Music Festival. She was also a participant in the 1st Korean Symphony Orchestra International Conducting Competition and the 11th International Conducting Competition Jeunesses Musicales Bucharest.