Ji-Hae Park spreads the joy of classical to music to those who might not otherwise hear it — and in the process shows that you can rock out on the violin.

Why you should listen

Ji-Hae Park was on the fast track to violin stardom when she ... paused. Why was it simply her goal to be the best violin player in the world? Was there more to music than that? And thus she began to think differently about how to "play" her life. Now -- along with playing prestigious concert halls, winning prizes and making a new album for Decca called Baroque in Rock -- she makes time to play in hospitals, churches, prisons, anywhere she feels she can reach people with music. Her friendly, entertaining rearrangements of classical music invite new listeners in.

She was named The Respected Korean 2010  for her leadership and influence on the national development. She is playing on the Petrus Guarnerius 1735, Venedig on loan from the German Foundation (Deutsche-Stiftung- Musikleben) since 2003.

What others say

“Watching the radiant violin prodigy, one would never guess that at one time she had battled depression and found solace in her music.” — Korean Jo

Ji-Hae Park’s TED talk