Violinist SoHyun Ko burst on to the Heifetz stage in 2018 as a 12-year old  student with a dazzling performance of Pablo de Sarasate’s “Zigeunerweisen,” Op. 20. Not only did she take the breath away from the audience at Francis Auditorium – the performance also caught the attention of TwoSet Violin, as Brett and Eddy took a turn at the devilishly demanding composition by the Spanish master.

Fast forward to 2021, and fresh off the heels of her recurring appearance on the South Korean television series Do You Like Brahms?, SoHyun returned to the summer institute and unveiled another round of Sarasate – this time Carmen Fantasy, Op. 25. The gypsy-infused melodies and rhythmic flair of Georges Bizet’s titular opera would inspire numerous instrumental homages (for example, Hubay’s Carmen Fantasie performed here by Heifetz student Ria Honda, or Franz Waxman’s version played here in Francis Auditorium by Max Yiming Mao), but none quite capture the ornamentation, virtuosity, and charisma of Sarasate’s – executed here with remarkable precision and artistry by SoHyun.