Biography

Dr. Clara Haneul Yoon is a violinist, lecturer, and researcher whose work bridges performance, pedagogy, and scholarship, with a strong focus on equity in music education and community engagement. Trained at the Juilliard School and Columbia University, Dr. Yoon’s research examines the intersections of cultural perception and social context, specifically how genre hierarchies and stereotypes mediate artistic value within diverse communities. Her scholarly and professional work has been recognized by the College Music Society, where she served as the 2025 Chair of Music Performance, and the NAMM Foundation, which awarded her the 2022 President’s Innovation Award for her initiatives in advancing accessible music education.

A dynamic performer, clinician, and adjudicator, Dr. Yoon maintains an active international presence as a guest artist and lecturer across North America and Asia. Her institutional collaborations include the Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, NYU, Columbia University, Princeton University, the University of Toronto, Western University, and the Royal Conservatory of Music, where she works to cultivate the next generation of violinists and educators.

In 2022, Dr. Yoon launched Saloon Yoon, a lecture-concert series that reimagines the live classical music experience. By transitioning performances from formal concert halls to intimate and cozy spaces across New York, Toronto, and South Korea, the series addresses systemic barriers, such as venue formality, cost, and rigid performance conventions, to foster broader accessibility, especially for new audiences. Each program integrates performance with storytelling and dialogue, inviting audiences to engage with classical repertoire in a reflective, relaxed, and conversational atmosphere. Outside of her professional practice, Dr. Yoon is an avid coffee drinker, hiker, and dog-lover; she can often be found exploring Toronto’s newest coffee shops (prioritizing the strongest roasts), omakase spots, or cooking and dancing at home with her wonderful husband, Scott.