Dr. Er-Gene Kahng
Henri Temianka Endowed Professor in Music
Conservatory of Music, College of Performing Arts
Email: ekahng@chapman.edu
- Education:
- University of California, Los Angeles, Bachelor of Arts
Yale University, Master of Music
Northwestern University, Doctor of Music
Biography
Dr. Er-Gene Kahng is a dedicated performer and educator who joins Chapman University
as Professor of Violin and the Henri Temianka Endowed Professor in Music. Known for
her expressive artistry and engaging performances, Er-Gene has captivated audiences
internationally through solo recitals, chamber music collaborations and orchestral
performances. Previously serving as Full Professor and co-Associate Chair of the Music
Department at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Er-Gene also brings extensive
experience in higher education leadership and innovative music curriculum design and
development. Her passion for teaching and mentorship is reflected in her active role
in adjudication, presenting masterclasses, workshops, lectures, and clinics at regional
and national events. As an advocate for contemporary, diverse, and historically significant
repertoire, Er-Gene's recordings include the world premiere recording of Florence
Price's violin concertos, critically acclaimed albums with pierrot ensemble, Khemia
Ensemble, and serving as concertmaster in Fort Smith Symphony Orchestra's recordings
of Florence Price and Louis Ballard orchestral works, as well as the complete violin
sonatas of George Frideric Handel. Her performances have been praised for rich tonal
beauty and compelling musical insight. Er-Gene is a former Wolfson Visiting Fellow
at the University of Cambridge, in Cambridge, UK, and has received degrees from Northwestern
(D.M.), Yale (M.M. and A.D.) and UCLA (B.A.), studying with Almita and Roland Vamos,
Erick Friedman, Syoko Aki, the Tokyo String Quartet, and Mark Kaplan. Thrilled to
join the vibrant artistic community at Chapman, Er-Gene looks forward to contributing
to the tradition of excellence and inquiry by exploring ways classical music can intersect
with, and highlight, forgotten narratives of the past and thus shape the musical values
of the present and future.