Eugene Symphony appoints Searmi Park as Concertmaster
Eugene Symphony is excited to welcome back former Eugene Symphony (ESA) Concertmaster Searmi Park, who was previously in the position from 2013 through 2017, serving as secondin-command in artistic leadership. “I am thrilled to welcome back Searmi to the Eugene Symphony,” says ESA Music Director & Conductor Francesco Lecce-Chong. “I had the opportunity to experience her incredible artistry and leadership during my first week with the orchestra back in 2017 and I look forward to our important work together in the coming seasons. I know her presence will elevate the work of all of us on stage and bring even more excitement to our performances.”
Park, who recently served as guest Concertmaster at ESA’s presentation of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde,
Act I in April 2022, is returning after joining the Oregon Symphony five years ago.
“As I get older, I find myself longing to be where I can serve my greatest good while remaining true to
myself,” Park says. “I tend to crave exploration and love trying new things — and sometimes my search
ends exactly where I have already been. I am so excited to reconnect with the Eugene community and
audiences after five years away, and am extremely grateful to Francesco and the wonderful musicians of
the Eugene Symphony for welcoming me back!”
Searmi Park joins Arnaud Ghillebaert, Principal Viola; Adam Fishburn, Viola; Melissa Peña, Principal
Oboe; and Keven Kraus, Bass Trombone, as new members starting in the 2022/23 Season.
Interview & Media Opportunities: High-resolution photos are available upon request. For interviews,
contact Marketing & Communications Manager Julie Winsel at julie.winsel@eugenesymphony.org or by
phone at 541-687-9487 ext. 1106.
About Searmi Park
Violinist Searmi Park was born and raised in Los Angeles; she and her pianist sister began practicing
many hours at a young age, thanks to their Korean tiger-dad, and by the time she was ten Searmi was
studying with Robert Lipsett in the San Fernando Valley where she grew up. She is an active studio
musician at this time, and has played on hundreds of motion picture, television, artist record, and video
game recordings. She plays in chamber music series and at festivals in the US and abroad: Dilijan and
Salon de Musique, the Oregon Bach Festival, Santa Fe Pro Musica, and at international festivals in Costa
Rica, South Africa, and Portugal. Searmi moved to Portland, Oregon, in 2012 in search of a different life
for her family. She served as Concertmaster of the Eugene Symphony for four years before joining the
Oregon Symphony in 2017. She currently lives with her family in the beautiful Oregon countryside,
playing with their horses and raising goats, ducks, and chickens.
About Francesco Lecce-Chong
Conductor Francesco Lecce-Chong is the Music Director of the Eugene Symphony in Oregon, and the
Santa Rosa Symphony, performing at the Green Music Center in Northern California. The press has
described him as a “fast rising talent in the music world” with “the real gift” and recognized his dynamic
performances, fresh programming, deep commitment to commissioning and performing new music as
well as to community outreach. Lecce-Chong has appeared with orchestras around the world including
the San Francisco Symphony, New York Philharmonic, National Symphony, Atlanta Symphony,
Pittsburgh Symphony, Toronto Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, and Hong Kong Philharmonic and
collaborated with top soloists including Renée Fleming and Itzhak Perlman.
About Eugene Symphony
Now in its 58th season, the Eugene Symphony is a nonprofit and 83-member part-time orchestra based
in Eugene, Oregon led by Music Director & Conductor Francesco Lecce-Chong with a mission of
enriching lives through the power of music. While away from the concert hall since March 1, 2020, due
to the COVID-19 pandemic, Eugene Symphony offered digital content through its virtual hub at
eugenesymphony.org, including its Soundwaves virtual concerts, radio broadcasts, music education
content, live chats with Maestro Lecce-Chong, and musician performances. In all, these virtual
engagement activities reached more than 60,000 people in Oregon, across the country, and around the
world. More at eugenesymphony.org
