A native of Los Angeles, Dorthy Kwon studied the violin during her formative years at the Colburn School and achieved degrees in Violin Performance at UCLA (B.A.) and USC (M.M.). Since then, Kwon immersed herself in a diverse music scene, concertizing with many orchestras, including New West, Riverside, Long Beach Symphonies, and collaborating with chamber musicians of Takács, Borromeo, Chilingirian, and Emerson String Quartets. Alongside high-profile artists in both classical and popular music genres, Kwon has shared the stage with celebrated violinists Pinchas Zukerman and Sarah Chang, legendary R&B band Earth, Wind & Fire, and has gone on tour with acclaimed singers Andrea Bocelli and Stevie Wonder.

In the studios, Kwon recorded the solo violin soundtrack for Oktapodi, which earned an Academy-Award nomination for Best Animated Short Film, along with numerous international awards. Additionally, she has recorded for Billboard albums and television commercials, and even had the opportunity to act as a violinist in a scene of a Hollywood comedy film.

Kwon’s devotion to teaching has allowed her to work with students from all walks of life for 20 years. She has been on the faculty at Pasadena Conservatory of Music since 2012. Her students have gone on to continue their studies in music at prestigious institutions, including University of California, Los Angeles, and New York University. With a grateful heart for the exciting life she leads, Kwon gives concerts regularly at nursing homes and hospitals, oftentimes with her students. For more info, please visit DorthyKwon.com.