A Mesmerizing Harmony of Violin and Percussion Fills Denver’s Boettcher Hall
160 Members of the Korean Community Invited… Colorado Symphony Board Member Young Cho Hosts Korean VIP Reception
Colorado Symphony Concertmaster Yumi Hwang-Williams and internationally renowned percussionist Svet Stoyanov successfully presented the world premiere of Gemini Sun: Concerto for Violin and Percussion.
Conducted by Peter Oundjian, with composer Christopher Theofanidis in attendance, this special commissioned world premiere and recording took place during the Colorado Symphony’s March concert under the theme “Korean Night.” Gemini Sun was composed by Theofanidis, inspired by the artistry of Yumi Hwang-Williams. Her violin lines illuminated the score with a starlike brilliance, while Stoyanov added his distinctive rhythmic signature through dynamic percussion. This imaginative concerto, performed by two artists at the peak of their craft, is scheduled for future performances with the Seattle Symphony and the New York Youth Symphony at Carnegie Hall.
Colorado Symphony Board Member Young Cho commemorated the world premiere of Gemini Sun by donating 160 concert tickets to the Korean community and hosting a VIP reception. The reception began with remarks of appreciation from Concertmaster Yumi Hwang-Williams, Principal Cello Seoyoen Min, and President Daniel Wachter, and concluded with enthusiastic applause from prominent members of the Korean community across various fields. The Colorado Symphony also introduced Young Cho during the concert, expressing special thanks for organizing the “Korean Night” event.
Master percussionist Svet Stoyanov performed on a wide range of instruments, including the vibraphone, marimba, and the Bulgarian wooden drum, “tupan”. In particular, he played the tupan, which produces sounds similar to the Korean janggu, with lively, fast rhythms reminiscent of traditional janggu patterns.
The tupan originates from the Balkan Peninsula and is used in Bulgarian folk music, and it is played by striking the drum with two different sticks, one with a rounded end like the gunggeulchae and the other a thin stick similar to the yeolchae, much like the Korean janggu. His performance offered Korean audiences a unique opportunity to reinterpret familiar sounds through the lens of global musical traditions.
Yumi Hwang-Williams delivered delicate and refined melodies that contrasted beautifully with the powerful percussion, moving the audience with emotional depth. Living up to her reputation as a world-class violinist, she conveyed both intensity and sophistication amid the driving rhythmic interplay. Performing on her 1748 G.B. Guadagnini violin from Piacenza, Italy, she demonstrated a wide range of expressive techniques, flowing at times like a gentle stream and at others with the force of a surging current.
The second half of the program featured selections from Sergei Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64, including well-known pieces frequently used in films and commercials. These familiar works evoked a sense of early spring, delighting Colorado audiences and couples alike. One of the most iconic pieces, “Dance of the Knights,” powerfully depicted the fierce rivalry between the Montague and Capulet families from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet through bold and majestic orchestration led by the brass section.
Yumi Hwang-Williams has served as Concertmaster of the Colorado Symphony since 2000 and is widely recognized for her refined interpretations of both contemporary and classical repertoire. Strings Magazine described her as a “modern-day Prometheus” and “a passionate guardian of contemporary classical music.” She currently serves as an adjunct violin professor at the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver.
She began studying violin at age 10 after immigrating from Korea with her family, enrolling in the Girard Academic Music Program (GAMP) in Philadelphia. Before joining the Colorado Symphony, she served as Principal Second Violin of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. She also performed for 13 years as Concertmaster of the Cabrillo Festival Orchestra and has appeared as guest concertmaster with the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. She is currently active as a guest first violinist with the Philadelphia Orchestra.
By Susan Lee | Colorado Times
March 26, 2026
*** This article is published in both Korean and English ***
