Mee-Hyun (Esther) Park - Royal College of Music 2023 Awardee Update

December 2023

Dear Didy,

I hope you have been well since we last saw each other in October, it was a pleasure to meet you both! I also wanted to express my gratitude to you for being the awardee of the Knights of the Round Table Award at the Royal College of Music this year. Your scholarship has made it possible for me to continue studying at the RCM with my professor, to develop my career as a violinist in the UK. Without your support, this would not have been possible.

This Autumn term at the Royal College of Music has passed by in a whirlwind for me. I had the opportunity to play concerts both internally and externally, as a soloist, chamber musician and as an orchestral player. I received my Global Talent Visa in September which enables me to work as a freelance musician in this country, and this meant that I can finally start to look for outside work, as until now, performance opportunities outside the RCM was limited. During this term, I was able to play a solo recital at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, perform with pianist Dina Duisen at her festival at the 1901 Arts Club and in concert venues such as the Royal Festival Hall and the Royal Albert Hall working as an extra for the Philharmonia Orchestra. These experiences wouldn't have been possible without the education that I receive from my teacher, Radu Blidar, at the RCM and I couldn't be more grateful that I can study at a place like the RCM which not only supports your artistic journey, but motivates me to refine, commit to improve and share my love for music with others.

During this upcoming Spring term, my quartet will be having a series of recitals in and out of London, and we just recorded a new piece for an album with a composer we're collaborating with which will hopefully come out during the spring which I'm very excited about. I also have a piano trio within the College and we hope to have some concerts on the repertoire we're working on - Ravel and Rachmaninoff Piano Trios. I'm also looking forward to the masterclasses given by inspiring visiting violin professors such as Marianne Piketty and Peter Herresthal.

Your generosity in supporting my education helps me to be able to focus on striving towards my goals and make a positive impact with my craft. I am determined to make the most of this year, and I am sincerely grateful for your support to turn my dreams into a reality.

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year,

Yours sincerely,

Mee-Hyun (Esther) Park