Julin Cheung on the Latest Episode of WHYY's "On Stage at Curtis"

Award-winning, 16-year-old flutist Julin Cheung began playing the flute at age six and joined the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra at nine. The Seattle native entered the Curtis Institute of Music in 2020, studies flute with Jeffrey Khaner, and is the Gerry and Marguerite Lenfest Fellow. Mr. Cheung’s interest in classical music and the flute began at a young age when his parents took him to the local orchestra concerts. From there, he later studied with Curtis alumnus Demarre McGill Jr. (Flute ’96), who impressed upon him the importance of musicality and communicating with an audience, not just playing notes. 

Julin Cheung was featured on Season 18, episode 2 of WHYY’s On Stage at Curtis. Watch the video HERE or view the video below. 

While at Curtis, Mr. Cheung served as a guest artist for the 2022 Slovenian Flute Festival and was featured on an episode of NPR’s From The Top. In the summer of 2023, Mr. Cheung toured North America as a part of the tenth anniversary season of Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America. He relishes the moments he gets to perform with the Curtis Symphony Orchestra, as his ultimate goal is to perform in an orchestra professionally, and he likens his time here at the school to a home away from home.

Mr. Cheung’s notable awards include first prizes in the Severino Gazzelloni International Flute Competition, the National Flute Association’s High School Soloist Competition, and the Flute Society of Greater Philadelphia’s Collegiate Artist Competition. He has also received a gold medal from the Young Artist Competition of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.

Complementary to his flute studies at Curtis, Mr. Cheung plays violin and enjoys skiing, hiking, exploring the restaurant scene in Philadelphia’s Chinatown, enjoying desserts at Mango Mango, and taking photographs in his spare time.

Photos of Julin Cheung courtesy of the artist. Photo of Mr. Cheung with the Curtis Symphony Orchestra by David DeBalko.