Reviews Age 9, 2005

Daily Telegraph, June 2004

  "...It is not only that she is technically superb for a nine-year-old but that she plays from the heart.

  "She seems to understand the mnsuic intuitively. The first time I heard her play piano, she had to have a special stool so that she could reach the keys.

  "I thought she might play Baa Baa Black Sheep or something like that, but she launched straight into Mozart."

  Richard Crabtree, her tutor, said she was "destined to be a world-class musician".

  Julia's family runs an IT business in South Korea, but moved to Britain 18 months ago. She said: "My dad plays the guitar and my mum plays the piano very well, so perhaps I have got my musical skills from them."

  A NINE-YEAR-OLD violin player has excited her teachers by passing her grade seven exams with distinction.

  Julia Hwang, a pupil at the independent Clifton College preparatory school in Bristol will take her grade eight exams this year, 18 months after picking up the instrument for the first time.

  The average age for taking grade eight violin is 17 and John Howard, of the London College of Music, said he could not recall anyone so young taking the exam.

  Bob Acheson, Julia's head teacher, said "She is without doubt one of the most talented musicians I have come across.

Evening Post, July 2005

An amazing setting, perfect weather and one

of the world's greatest opera singers - with the

help of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra,

Jose Carreras gave enchanted Bristolians an

evening to remember, as Lesley Turney reports

Jose Carreras, accompanied by the

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, gave an outstanding

performance in the grounds of Clifton College.

Accompanied by his talented compatriot,

soprano Tina Gorina, the pair enchanted

an audience of nearly 10,000 people.

It was a unique opportunity for Bristolians to

enjoy one third of the three tenors in one of the

most beautiful venues in the South West

- and everyone who was there made the

most of the opportunity....

A hush fell over the Close as the entertainment

began with nine-year-old child prodigy

Julia Hwang playing three pieces on her violin,

accompanied by pianist Mark Swinton.

Those of us who were sitting too far back to see

the little girl on the huge stage watched her on the big screen.

She was incredible. As she gave a virtuoso

performance of Handel's Queen of Sheba,

we knew we were listening to a rare talent.

Julia looked perfectly relaxed and, despite her age,

did not seem at all nervous about performing in front of

such a large audience. Her fingers, highlighted on the

screen, danced over the violin strings.

It was also a reminder that proceeds from the concert,

which was sponsored by Allied Irish Bank,

Torres and Codorniu, will be used to fund musical

scholarships at Clifton College to give talented

children the opportunity to study at one of the

country's leading schools....

click below to play, replay or silence Zigeunerweisen by Sarasate (7 mins, Nov 08)

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In March 2009. Julia has a Press conference in Paris.

Julia's engagements for 2010 were updated on 11 March 2010.