San Francisco Conservatory of Music Appoints New Chair of String and Piano Chamber Music

The San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM) has announced that violinist Wonhee Bae has been appointed Chair of String and Piano Chamber Music. She will also teach violin and chamber music in SFCM’s pre-college program.

Bae is the first violinist of the Esmé Quartet, which has appeared at major venues and festivals, including Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Wigmore Hall, the Lucerne Festival, the Verbier Festival, the Hong Kong Arts Festival, and L’Auditori. The group established itself after winning First Prize (as well as four special prizes) at the Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition. 

The group records exclusively on the Alpha Classics label, and won a Diapason d’Or for its debut album of works by Beethoven, Unsuk Chin, and Frank Bridge. Its second album was devoted to Benjamin Britten, while its third disc Nui will be released in September 2026. 

As a soloist, Bae has appeared with the Russian National Orchestra, Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra, Iași Philharmonic Orchestra, Korean Chamber Orchestra, Busan Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonie der Nationen, and the Orchestre des Lauréats du Conservatoire de Paris.

She has also been a prizewinner at the Georges Enescu International Competition, the Isang Yun Competition, the Lipizer International Violin Competition, and the International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians.

A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, Royal College of Music, Conservatoire de Paris, and the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln, Bae has studied with Felix Andrievsky, Boris Garlitsky, Svetlin Roussev, and Mihaela Martin, among others. 

“[I’m] grateful to be stepping into the role of Chair of String and Piano Chamber Music, and for the opportunity to give back to a part of music that has shaped so much of who I am,” Bae wrote on social media.

“I’m looking forward to continuing to build on the strong chamber music community at SFCM and creating meaningful opportunities for our students to learn, collaborate, and grow together.”

“I’m especially excited about our Chamber Tuesday series, which brings our chamber music majors together with wonderful guest artists throughout the year.”