New World
Seoyeon Im
-
Up In The Air 4:260:00/4:26
-
Q Train 3:570:00/3:57
-
0:00/5:02
-
Wind Blossom 4:110:00/4:11
-
Rain Drop 3:430:00/3:43
-
Rush G 5:520:00/5:52
SEOYEON IM
New York City, USA
Jazz Violinist · Composer · Bandleader · Producer
New York City, USA
ARTIST BIO
Seoyeon Im is a New York-based Korean jazz violinist, composer, bandleader, and producer whose music lives at the intersection of classical strings, jazz improvisation, and contemporary cinematic expression.
Rooted in classical violin, Seoyeon has developed a distinctive musical voice that combines the rich, expressive sound of the violin with the freedom, spontaneity, and rhythmic language of jazz. Her work explores what the violin can become when it moves beyond the traditional boundaries of classical performance and into the world of improvisation, contemporary jazz, and storytelling.
Seoyeon studied violin at Sungshin Women's University in Korea before continuing her studies at Berklee College of Music. She later earned a Master's degree in Jazz Performance from Queens College, City University of New York (CUNY).
Based in New York, she leads the Seoyeon Im Quartet and presents a monthly Studio Ghibli Jazz Series, reimagining beloved melodies from Studio Ghibli films through original jazz arrangements and improvisation. She is also a member of the Glad Rag Orchestra and the founder of the Brooklyn String Quartet, an ensemble exploring the possibilities of string performance across classical and contemporary settings.
Beyond the stage, Seoyeon has built a substantial international audience through digital media. Her V.OLIN YouTube channel has surpassed 20 million cumulative views, while her social platforms reach more than 100,000 followers combined. Through YouTube and social media, she introduces audiences to the world of jazz violin, explores the differences between classical and jazz violin, compares instruments and playing styles, and shares performances and educational content that make jazz violin more accessible to a broader audience.
Her latest release, NEW WORLD, marks an important step in her development not only as a violinist, but also as a composer and producer. The album brings together a dynamic jazz rhythm section and the rich textures of a string quartet, creating a cinematic sound world where lyrical melodies, lush string arrangements, and jazz improvisation coexist.
Through her music, Seoyeon continues to build a bridge between classical tradition and contemporary jazz—while introducing the unique voice of the jazz violin to audiences around the world.
60K+ YouTube Subscribers · 40K+ Instagram Followers · 100K+ Global Online Audience
PRESS & DOWNLOADS
📸 High-Resolution Press Photos & Album Artwork [Click]
📀Buy Album [CLICK]
“NEW WORLD”
Seoyeon Im's Debut Full-Length Album
NEW WORLD is Seoyeon Im's debut full-length album and a deeply personal musical portrait of her life as a Korean musician building a new artistic identity in New York.
The album explores the emotional landscape of leaving behind the familiar and stepping into an unknown world. Its seven tracks move through homesickness, uncertainty, discovery, resilience, freedom, and renewal—reflecting Seoyeon's experience of finding her voice within New York's demanding and diverse jazz scene.
Musically, NEW WORLD combines a jazz quartet, string quartet, violin overdubs, cinematic textures, and improvisation. The result is a contemporary jazz sound that retains the warmth and emotional depth of classical strings while embracing the freedom and energy of jazz.
Rather than treating the violin simply as a classical instrument within a jazz setting, Seoyeon uses it as a fully expressive improvisational voice—moving between lyrical melodies, rhythmic passages, layered string textures, and spontaneous interaction with the ensemble.
Music Video
TRACKLIST
01. UP IN THE AIR
Released July 4, 2026
Written during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, “Up in the Air” reflects the desire to rise again in a period defined by uncertainty. The piece captures a feeling of suspension, hope, and the determination to begin again.
02. Q TRAIN
Title Track · Released July 26, 2026
The Q train became part of Seoyeon's everyday life in New York, carrying her across the Manhattan Bridge and through the city she was learning to call home.
Through the subway window, she often found herself watching strangers, city lights, and the Brooklyn skyline—moments of quiet solitude within an overwhelming city.
“Q Train” transforms that experience into a cinematic jazz composition, combining a traditional jazz quartet with lush string textures and lyrical melodies. The result is a personal portrait of loneliness, resilience, and unexpected comfort in a new city.
03. KIKI IN THE NEW WORLD
A cinematic meeting point between the nostalgic second movement of Dvořák's New World Symphony and an homage to Studio Ghibli's Kiki's Delivery Service.
Like Kiki arriving alone in a new city, Seoyeon found herself building a life and musical identity far from home. The piece reflects homesickness, uncertainty, perseverance, and the courage to keep moving forward.
04. WIND BLOSSOM
One of Seoyeon's earlier compositions, “Wind Blossom” represents a more innocent version of herself—a young musician filled with optimism, curiosity, and an almost fearless sense of possibility.
The piece revisits that youthful energy as a reminder to remain courageous and open to the world.
05. RAIN DROP
Inspired by six months of weekly jam sessions in Manhattan, “Rain Drop” captures the moment Seoyeon began to embrace the freedom of making mistakes.
Influenced by gypsy jazz and swing, the track celebrates spontaneity, humor, movement, and the simple joy of playing music.
06. RUSH G
A high-energy portrait of Seoyeon's growing familiarity with life in New York.
Surrounded by musicians from around the world and increasingly comfortable on the city's stages, “Rush G” reflects the momentum, intensity, and musical ambition that comes with finding one's place in a new environment.
07. REINCARNATION
“Reincarnation” is a statement of renewal.
The piece reflects the idea of repeatedly shedding old versions of oneself and beginning again—with courage, optimism, and a willingness to step into the unknown.
It serves as a final declaration of the album's central idea: leaving the old world behind and stepping boldly into a New World.
MUSICIANS & CREDITS
Performance & Composition
Seoyeon Im — Violin, Composer, Producer
Hyuna Park — Piano
Myles Sloniker — Double Bass
Ronen Itzik — Drums
String Quartet
Tracks 1, 2 & 7
Seoyeon Im — Violin
Yewon Choi — Violin
Anna Stromer — Viola
Zachary Brown — Cello
Additional Strings
Tracks 4 & 6
Seoyeon Im — Violin Overdubs
Production
Recording Engineer: Amadis Dunkel — Blue Frog Studio
Mixing & Mastering Engineer: Jeremy Loucas — Sear Sound