Yoojin Park is an amazing artist with one of the most unconventional stories. She started her pursuit in music to become a world-class violinist, which she has accomplished quite well. Being the conscientious artist that she is, she didn’t feel she was a complete musician after discovering the art of improvisation and pursued studies in jazz improvisation. Today she is one of the most sought-after string players in jazz, R & B, hip-hop, and more. Here diversity mirrors that of her beloved instrument, which many associate with mainly classical music, but as we can see has a home in a myriad of musical genres. While she enjoys a successful career now, the road to it was anything but easy, and she is here to share her story…
Growing up in Korea you were trained mainly in classical violin and achieved quite a bit of success doing it! When did you get interested in jazz and when did you decide to pursue it as a career?
I began playing violin at the age of 4 under the influence of my mom who is a classical pianist. By the age of 7, I started pursuing national violin competitions in classical music and was accepted into the renowned Korea National University of Arts. In my senior year, I had an opportunity to join Korean singer Lee Seung Hwan’s band as a member of his string quartet. At that time, I wanted to experience genres other than classical music, so I decided to go on tour with the group. For me, playing pop music was similar to classical because there was beautifully arranged music in front of me and all I needed to do was play it perfectly without any mistakes. There were some differences though, the biggest difference being the instrumentation. In this group, I was playing music with a drum set, guitar, and saxophone, none of which I had played with before. In the classical music world, we really don’t use that instrumentation. So, that experience was totally new to me and so much fun and exciting!
While on tour, one night, the saxophonist was featured and he started playing some really interesting things on the stage and he wasn’t even reading written music. His playing sounded almost like some cadenza, so I was like “Wow! Bravo! That guy memorized that piece so perfectly, wow!” But soon, I noticed that the next day, he was playing something different than the night before, and again on the next day another totally different solo, so I was just curious and asked one of the band members “Hey that saxophone player… how many tunes did he have to memorize for this tour?” and a band member was kinda laughing and said, “He was actually improvising.” I was like “WHAT?? IMPROVISING? What is that? How could he do that??” he asked me if I knew how to read chords. I was like “CHORDS?? How can I read that, what is that??” I had no idea, and I was thinking to myself “man I’ve been playing my violin and music for my entire life, but I can’t play anything unless there is sheet music in front of me or something I already memorized? This is unacceptable!!” I felt like I wasn’t a real musician.
After that day, the only thing I could think of was how I could learn how to improvise. Life is short and I had to learn that skill in this lifetime. I mean, the university I went to, Korea National University of Arts is the top university in South Korea, only 14 violinists are accepted a year and half of them are true geniuses who were skipping high school courses to attend the university because they are that great. I wasn’t one of the 7; I was part of the cohort who went high school but I still had a secure life in classical music waiting for me after graduation. With that being said, my desire and need for this “mysterious world of jazz and improvisation” made me change my path. I decided to move to Boston to study at the Berklee College of Music, pursuing jazz. Thinking back, I was very brave, full of passion, and had no idea what was actually waiting for me. My journey started from there.
Coming from a classical background, was it a hard transition into the world of improvisation? What are some of the similarities and differences you feel that exist between these two worlds of music?
It was a hard transition, yes. So with all my dreams and passions, I came to Berklee and as soon as I stepped into a music class the reality hit me. You see, all new students have to take an ensemble-placement test and even though I couldn’t improvise, my sight-reading and technique score was good enough to get me placed into a good ensemble. In that ensemble, everyone already knew how to play Jazz from their younger years and were already killing it. In those classes, I felt insecure, and I had never felt that way before. To me, I couldn’t speak English plus I couldn’t play my violin while improvising. Words cannot express how hard a transition it was for me to shift from a classical background to the world of improvisation. As a classically trained musician, I had to learn how to practice interpreting the musical score in order to perform the composer’s ideas. I would practice the same things hundreds of times until I nailed it. But with the world of improvisation, having to learn how to perform with a blank music score and just chords written, creating my own composition in the moment was a real challenge. I felt the whole concept was totally different than how I learned to play and practice music, so I was very confused for many years.
Thankfully I met a great teacher Darren Barrett at Berklee, who helped me understand the fundamentals of jazz and its vocabulary, and the more I studied, the more I started to see that all these great classical composer’s works, such as Mozart’s sonata variations, Paganini’s caprice 24 variations, and all the cadenzas in the great concertos, were actually improvisations. I realized those are the composers’ improvisations, using the same chords and ideas as the main body of work, but the composer was developing their music melodically and rhythmically. I also started to see that I was wrong to think that I had to create something with a blank score with just chords written when I’m improvising on a Jazz tune. I was really learning that there are actually beautiful existing melodies in jazz music! I now know that I can make my own variations on a jazz melody, melodically and rhythmically, while I’m improvising on a jazz tune, just like how Mozart wrote a variation on twinkle twinkle little star in his piano sonata and how Paganini did the same for the 24th caprice. Approaching improvisation this way helped me understand the connection between those two worlds of music. I also started writing all the chords in all the classical pieces I’ve studied so I can understand the chord structures more.
Classical music has all these notes written perfectly but there are no chords written, and jazz music has all the chords written perfectly but not all the notes written. I had a chicken and egg situation, which one comes first? I started to find the similarities between the two worlds of music. I thought how once the two worlds of music perfectly unite as one in my mind, I would be at peace and there would be no creative limitation for me.
After studying at Berklee and Queens College has your career developed the way you envisioned or have there been some surprises along the way
After graduating from Berklee, I went to Queens College for my master’s program and although I was excited to enroll, I still had anxiety about my violin playing because people kept telling me to emulate saxophonists exclusively. Musicians were telling me to change my tone and remove my vibrato in order to match saxophone phrasing exactly. I was told my violin sound doesn’t sound like jazz, and that my violin sound has to be like a saxophonist when I play jazz. But honestly, I didn’t want to give up my violin tone nor vibrato which I’ve been developing my entire life. I didn’t like this new approach to my sound on violin, it was not right, it wasn’t me. Thankfully, I was fortunate enough to study with the great musician and teacher Antonio Hart, and he was the first one to encourage me to play my instrument for what it is – the violin. He was like “Why would you play your violin like a saxophone? Your violin has this beautifully unique sound, use every tool your violin has when you play Jazz. BE YOU!!”. That was an eye-opening moment for me, and ever since, my anxiety has gone and I’ve felt free to play jazz how I feel, using the full spectrum of violin nuances because of Antonio’s insight.
My career developed the way I envisioned it would after studying at Berklee and Queens College because not only did I meet great teachers but also great friends! I was especially lucky to meet saxophonist Richard Parker through Queens College, who has remained one of the biggest influences on my life and music in the States. He helped me understand more about American culture as well as other types of music, like hip hop and R&B. My other American friends- Berklee musicians like pianist Victor Gould and saxophonist Godwin Louis, all of whom helped me grow in life and in music as well. Through all of the help and support from great teachers and friends I was able to continue to grow musically and creatively and began writing my own music. Later, after finishing my master’s program, I was able to record my debut album with Victor Gould, Godwin Louis, and Lonnie Plaxico. Antonio Hart produced my album and I was fortunate enough to sign with Universal Music Group International and release my debut album West End in 2013.
Have you faced any challenges in the industry because of your instrument, and if so can you talk about them?
Yes, especially at jam sessions. I don’t have any specific stories about people being disrespected because of my instrument, but at the same time, I never felt like they welcomed my violin either. At the sessions, I could feel the bad vibes from their facial expressions and gestures. Often I felt like my violin and I didn’t belong there. To that point, someone literally told me that it was going to be extra hard for me to make it in music because I’m an Asian trying to play jazz and improvisation with violin. I thought to myself if I’m thinking that way I’m never gonna win any situation by any circumstance. But instead of thinking like a victim, I thought to myself the opposite could be true, I can be more special because “I’m an Asian trying to play jazz and improvisation with violin” and that was something truly unique and special. I later found out about this amazing jam session in NYC “Producer Monday with Ray Angry & The Council of Goldfinger”. Producer Monday was the first jam session I’d ever been to that made me feel like I belonged and gave violinists opportunities to play first. Not only were they welcoming to all different types of instrumentalists and musicians but they also created the music in the moment, with every musician united together to help create great music, each one on the stage with no ego but love. It’s not like someone called the tune and it was all about who plays better and who knows the changes. Producer Monday’s great energy and vibes helped me change my mind from the challenges I faced in the industry because of my instrument, which led to more opportunities in the industry because of my instrument!
You have your own group which has performed at the Blue Note, Rockwood Music Hall, and the Jazz Gallery and you have enjoyed an equally successful career as a collaborator for many great musicians such as Antonio Hart, Myron Walden, Victor Gould, Tivon Pennicott, Chien Chien Lu, and many more. Can you talk about some of the highlights of your career thus far?
After I released my album, I was able to perform my music from my album with my band in NYC. And I was so happy that on World Violin Day in 2019, when Blue Note gave me a shout out saying, “Today we celebrate violinists who have slain the stage at blue note” along with two other violinists. So while I was continuing working with my own group, I had these amazing opportunities to work with all of these other great musicians and leaders, for which I am so grateful. My first collaboration was with Victor Gould. Again, Victor and I went way back and he recorded my album and played for my group, and helped me a lot. So when Victor asked me to record his album I jumped at the opportunity. I hired other string players to put together for a string quartet and treated his project with the same care and love that I would my own. We recorded his beautiful debut album clockwork which was produced by Myron Walden. That’s where I met Myron and started to collaborate with him.
In 2016 Myron started his own string project that I’ve been directing and performing in, The Myron Walden with String featuring Jon Cowherd. I was so blessed to be part of his project. One of my favorite songs is “Omni” by Brian Blade fellowship band, which was recorded by Myron and Jon. Working with them was like a dream come true! I learned so much from them while playing; Myron and I shared many visions for music, his ideas and musical philosophies are truly transcendent. I also had a chance to work with this amazing label, JMI Recordings, and recorded the violin part for Antero Sievert’s debut album The_Underscore where I collaborated with producer Steven Mandel.
Collaborating with Chien Chien Lu and her producer Richie Goods was super fun! The grooves were killing and I had a blast recording her album The Path. Saxophonist, Tivon Pennicott called me and shared his amazing idea for the 24 string orchestra recording and I was like “YESSSSS” 24 strings? That’s another level. I was so excited and honored when he asked me to be concertmaster for his orchestra, and it was a joy to record his beautiful string orchestral compositions. We nailed it! His album Spirit Garden was absolutely beautiful and I was so proud of what we created. When I am working with others I am 100% in on their project, we are a team and I treat it as if it is my own project. I always listen to what the leader wants, and my job is to follow their direction the best I can and perform with a focus on adhering to the composer’s intent and respecting their unique artistry. Every album I have recorded with others are like my babies.
I’ve also had some really great opportunities to work outside the jazz scene. I have been fortunate enough to work with this amazing EDM artist DJ KSHMR and went on tour performing at Ultra Korea, Ultra Singapore, Sunburn Festival in India, and IleSoniq in Montreal. The energy of the audiences for these huge EDM festivals is just a whole other level of energy. It’s so much fun, a totally exciting experience and I really enjoyed it. I have also worked with pop artists, shooting and recording for Vevo music videos with artists such as YUNGBLUD and Madison Beer. I had a chance to perform with Josh Groban, Sarah Brightman, Deborah Cox, and played with Nathan East and music director Greg Phillinganes for the Hudson Yards opening commemoration.
Playing not only classical music but instead playing every genre of music with my violin all over the world, without any limitations to my personal creativity, is the reason I came here from Korea. I’m so blessed to be able to work with all these great musicians, artists, and leaders. I’ve enjoyed the journey I’ve had with all these amazing musicians and I’m looking forward to continuing to learn from and be inspired by them while we create more music together.
How often do you get to visit and play in Korea and do you see yourself wanting to have an active career in both countries?
I try to visit Korea at least once a year. But with the pandemic and all, I haven’t been able to visit for over 2 years now, and yes, I would love to have an active career in both countries. After I released my debut album, I wanted to perform in both countries but faced difficulties doing it. It was my first album, and no one really knew me, so it was necessary for me to build up my name. And I felt like to do that I needed to stick with one spot and one country. Every time I moved from both countries, I felt like I was losing connections, losing what I had built, and having to start over. I love Korea, that’s my home and everything is much more comfortable there with my family, friends, and language. But America is my second home. It’s already been 15 years since I moved here and I love it here as well. So I’m figuring out how to create a balance between both countries through performing and sharing my music.
How has the pandemic affected you and your career this past year?
Of course, most musicians lost all of their consistent work, I included. At first, I was watching, waiting, and hoping the pandemic wouldn’t last so long. But after I realized 2020 would be a long road back to normality, I looked towards myself and faced my musical needs like adjusting my violin setup. Often at a gig, I would use a pick-up mic with my sound going through an amp or PA. This is not the distinctive resonant sound expected from an acoustic violin. While continually playing through an amp, it’s easy to forget how important it is to work with the natural tone of the violin. During the pandemic, I really listened to what my violin was saying to me, and I realized that I needed to revisit the fundamentals and work on my tone, timbre, texture, and pitch. It turned about to be a really great opportunity to rebuild my relationship with my violin. Just the two of us!
Can you share with us any upcoming projects you have coming up?
Sure, I’m going to perform with Tivon Pennicott with Strings at Vermont Jazz Festival in May. I am also scheduled to record the music Reggie Workman as well as recording with Myron Walden’s String project this year. Also, I recently recorded Victor Gould’s 4th album and as well as Producer Monday’s album, and I look forward to hearing the final products. As for my own projects, I would really love to make my 2nd album. It’s been a while since my debut album and I’ve grown musically and personally since then! I have all these ideas and visions and compositions, so I would love to record my own project soon and share it all with the world!
I am so glad I got to hear Yoojin’s amazing story, and while the road to success may not have been an easy one I am glad she has persevered. It is definitely a story that has the potential to inspire violinists and any other unconventional instrumentalist, Asians, and other minorities, women… her story embodies and means so much for so many. With her strong will and determination, I am sure we are just beginning to get a taste of all she has to offer to the world!
Her social media links are
https://www.instagram.com/yoojinparkviolin/?hl=ent
https://www.facebook.com/yoojin.park.violinist
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