Admired for her “Pure Poetry” by the NFA Chronicle, Ji Weon Ryu is one of the most versatile flutists of her generation. Appointed Principal Flute of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra by Carlos Miguel Prieto in 2019, she became the first Asian to join the orchestra’s wind section. She has also held the same positions with the Albany Symphony Orchestra, the Britt Festival Orchestra, and the Seoul Arts Center Festival Orchestra.
She has frequently performed with the New York Philharmonic and her other orchestral engagements have taken her to numerous international venues, including Carnegie Hall (New York), Dvořák Hall (Prague), The John F. Kennedy Center (Washington, D.C.),
Musikverein (Vienna), Tanglewood Music Center, and the Verbier Festival.
Since her solo debut with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 12, Ji Weon has maintained an active career as a soloist and chamber musician. She is a laureate of the National Flute Association Young Artist Competition, the New York Flute Club Competition, the Arthur Balsam Duo Competitions, and the Kumho Asiana Cultural Foundation’s Young Artist Award in South Korea.
As a founding member of Frisson, an “explosive” New York City-based nonet, she has toured more than 20 cities across the U.S. each year and has been featured on NPR’s Performance Today. She is also a co-founder of Ensemble Blank, a group that explores new sounds in unconventional venues, and has been invited to perform at the 2024 BBC Proms Korea.
An avid recording artist, her recordings as Principal Flute include many contemporary works with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, winning the 2024 Grammy Award for Best Regional Roots Album. Her recent recording of Debussy’s “Afternoon of a Faun,” arranged for octet and released by Delos Productions, has garnered acclaim for her “coiling flute” from Limelight Magazine and her “seductively spun” interpretation from Apple Music.
In addition to her stage performances, Ji Weon is dedicated to teaching. She has served on the Flute Faculty at Louisiana State University and has given masterclasses and clinics at The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, Berklee College of Music, Tulane University, and the University of Kansas. In 2024-2025, she will be a featured artist at the Northwestern State University Flute Festival and the National
University of Tainan in Taiwan, and will serve as program co-chair of the Louisiana Flute Society.
Ji Weon holds a Master of Music degree in Orchestral Performance from the Manhattan School of Music, as well as a Bachelor of Music degree and an Accelerated Master of Music degree from The Juilliard School. Her teachers include Young Ji Song, Carol Wincenc, and Robert Langevin.
Instagram – @jiweonryu.com