Violin & Viola Teacher in Southern California
Instruments: Violin and Viola
Faculty: Riverside City College
Education: Doctor of Musical Arts in Violin Performance, University of Oregon
Training: Suzuki Violin Teacher Training, Units 1–5
Teaching Experience: Since 2007
About Ji Yeon Shin
Originally from South Korea, Dr. Ji Yeon Shin holds a Master of Music degree in Violin Performance from Pennsylvania State University and a Graduate Professional Diploma in Violin Performance from The Hartt School. She earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Violin Performance, with a secondary emphasis in Violin Pedagogy, from University of Oregon, where she served as a Graduate Teaching Fellow under the guidance of Ms. Kathryn Lucktenberg beginning in 2018.
Dr. Shin served at the Community Music Institute as a violin instructor, chamber music coach, and assistant for Music and Movement classes. During this period, she completed Suzuki teacher training (Units 1–5) and subsequently became a Suzuki-trained teacher. She also completed the Teacher Training Workshop led by Dr. Lili Levinowitz, coauthor and Director of Research for Music Together, in 2016. In addition, she completed Suzuki teacher training with Mr. Joseph Kaminsky, Ms. Marilyn O’Boyle, Mr. Allen Lieb, Ms. Sherry Cadow, and Mr. Edmund Sprunger between 2014 and 2018, along with training in Music Mind Games pedagogy.
As a performer, Dr. Shin has appeared with the Seoul Youth Orchestra in Korea and the Pennsylvania Centre Orchestra, and has presented solo and chamber recitals throughout Korea and the United States. She has also participated in numerous orchestra and festival performances across the United States and Canada. During her graduate studies at Pennsylvania State University, she performed as a member of the Graduate String Quartet while serving as a teaching assistant to James Lyon.
As a founding member of the Alpaca String Quartet at The Hartt School under the mentorship of Dr. Katie Lansdale, Dr. Shin engaged in extensive community outreach through educational performances and recitals. The quartet worked closely with Mr. Michael Tree of the Guarneri Quartet, Dr. Katie Lansdale and Mr. Darrett Adkins of the Lions Gate Trio, and the Chiara String Quartet. The ensemble was selected as the Fellowship String Quartet for the Chamber Music Institute at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and as the Resident String Quartet for the Aria International Music Academy in the summer of 2014.
Dr. Shin has served as a founding member and Principal Second Violin of Four Season Camerata in Garden Grove since 2022. She has appeared as a guest artist with the Corona Symphony Orchestra since 2019 and the Sea Coast Symphony Orchestra since 2018.
Dedicated to violin instruction since 2007 in both Korea and the United States, Dr. Shin is an experienced Suzuki teacher through Unit 5 and chamber music coach. Her students have received awards and recognitions from competitions including Satori, Charleston International Music Competition, MACOC, Singapore Music International Competition, MTAC, and SYMF. Her students have also been accepted into prestigious youth ensembles including Pacific Symphony Santiago Strings, SCSBOA Honor Groups, and the Irvine Honors Orchestra.
Beginning in 2025, Dr. Shin joined the faculty of Riverside City College as a violin instructor, serving as Concertmaster of the orchestra and instructor of applied violin lessons. She also serves as a string coach for middle and high school orchestral programs across Southern California, including Chaparral Middle School, Suzanne Middle School, and Dana Hills High School, supporting ensemble development and string pedagogy.
Charleston International Music Competition Teacher Partner
Ji Yeon Shin is featured in the official Charleston International Music Competition Teacher Directory as part of the CIMC Teacher Partner Program.