Possessed of ‘a superb talent’ (The Advertiser), with ‘a perfect balance of expressivity and formidable strength’ (The Australian), violinist Emily Sun is in demand internationally for her compelling and captivating interpretations. Remarkable for her versatility across the concerto, recital and chamber music repertoire, Emily has performed by invitation at Buckingham Palace alongside Maxim Vengerov in Bach’s Double Violin Concerto, in the presence of HRH Prince of Wales, and at the Royal Palace of Brussels in the presence of the King and Queen of Belgium.
A multi international prize winner, Emily was awarded the 2018 ABC Young Performer of the Year (Australia), and the 2016 UK Royal Overseas League ‘Commonwealth Musician of the Year’. Further success in international competitions include prizes at Yampolsky International Violin Competition (Russia), Brahms International Violin Competition (Austria), and Lipizer International Violin Competition (Italy). She was selected as a Young Concert Artist for the Tillett Trust, The Worshipful Company of Musicians, and is a City Music Foundation Artist (UK). Emily was awarded the Tagore Gold Medal from the Royal College of Music, presented to her by HRH Prince of Wales.
As a concerto soloist, Emily has appeared with orchestras worldwide including the Sydney, Melbourne, Queensland, Tasmanian and Canberra Symphony Orchestras in Australia; Arlington Symphony, Arizona Symphony and Garland Symphony Orchestras in USA; Shanghai Youth Orchestra and Qingdao Symphony Orchestra in China; Orchestre de Royal Wallonie and Orchestre de Chambre Namur in Belgium. She has performed recitals in some of the world’s leading concert venues including Sydney Opera House, Wigmore Hall London, Bridgewater Hall Manchester, Tchaikovsky Great Hall Moscow, Auditorium du Louvre Paris, and Flagey Brussels.
An active chamber musician, Emily has collaborated with musicians such as Maxim Vengerov, Gary Hoffman, Miguel da Silva, Marc Coppey, Danny Driver, Gemma Rosefield and Tamara-Anna Cislowska, and is regularly invited to perform at music festivals across Europe. In Australia she has performed for Sydney Festival in the Domain with Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and chamber music series at City Recital Hall (Sydney), UKARIA Cultural Centre and Elder Hall (Adelaide).
Recent engagements have included performances at Seoul Arts Centre, Bozar Brussels, and Royal Albert Hall London; as soloist for Matthew Hindson’s violin concerto with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra to over 9,000 people in the Myer Music Bowl, raising funds for the victims of Australia’s devastating bushfires; Queensland Symphony Orchestra (Beethoven), a national chamber tour with Selby & Friends. Emily also featured in Grammy award-winning jazz artist Melody Gardot’s ‘From Paris with love’ project during lockdown.
2021 engagements included a national tour for Musica Viva Australia including City Recital Hall Sydney, Adelaide Town Hall and Newcastle, Melbourne Digital Concert Hall, and two recording releases: Robert Kahn’s Music from the Tree of Life (Rubicon Classics) – earning 5 stars from BBC Music Magazine – as part of Ensemble Émigré (affiliated with the Royal College of Music and featuring acclaimed pianist Danny Driver, cellist Gemma Rosefield, French horn Flora Bain, clarinettist Ingrid Pearson), and Emily’s highly acclaimed debut album, Nocturnes (ABC Classics), featuring the Franck and Fauré violin sonatas and other classic French works, with award-winning pianist Andrea Lam. Described as “a winner on all counts” (5 stars – The Australian), and “one of the most outstanding record releases of 2021” (The Music Trust), Nocturnes earned a coveted nomination for ‘Best Classical Album’ in the 2021 ARIA awards.
Upcoming season performances in Australasia include as soloist with Melbourne and West Australian Symphony Orchestras, Steel City Strings, Musica Viva, UKARIA and Hayllar Chamber Music.
As a teen, Emily shot to national fame after being featured in the acclaimed award-winning Australian documentary ‘Mrs Carey’s Concert’. Her media presence continues as recent ABC Artist-in-Residence, and BBC Introducing Artist, with regular broadcast on Classic FM, BBC Three (UK), Kol Hamusica (Israel), WXQR (USA), and Musiq 3 (Belgium).
Emily studied with Dr Robin Wilson at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and continued with Itzhak Rashkovsky at the Royal College of Music London, where she now serves on the faculty. She was mentored by Pinchas Zukerman, Maxim Vengerov, Ivry Gitlis and was Artist-in-Residence at Chapelle Musicale Reine Elisabeth Belgium, mentored by Augustin Dumay.
Emily plays a 1760 Nicolo Gagliano violin, kindly loaned to her through the Beare’s International Violin Society.
Emily is represented exclusively in Australia and New Zealand by Cinque Artist Management. For more information please see emilysunviolin.com
Latest News
January 2022, Emily has added general management with UK classical music agency, Percius Management. Emily continues to be represented exclusively in Australia and New Zealand by Cinque Artist Management. Read more here.
2021 release ‘Nocturnes’ (ABC Classics), which is Emily Sun’s debut album and featuring pianist Andrea Lam, received a nomination for a 2021 ARIA Award for ‘Best Classical Album’. Read more here.
Emily Sun is winner of the 2018 ABC Young Performer Award, Australia’s premier award for young musicians, with performances in 2020 with the Melbourne, Queensland and Adelaide Symphony Orchestras.
