Yu&I
Acclaimed for their "individual virtuosity and seamless collaboration," the Yu&I Duo embarks on a journey that captivates audiences with their mesmerizing performances. Their repertoire is a celebration of their diverse backgrounds, blending folk-inspired melodies from South Korea and Germany, in addition to classical favorites and movie themes. From the spicy rhythms of Astor Piazzolla's tango to the romantic virtuosity of Niccolo Paganini, and the emotional rollercoaster of Bartok's Romanian Dances, their concerts promise a whirlwind adventure of musical expression. Experience the allure of the Yu&I Duo—an unforgettable musical voyage awaits!
Videos
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Programs
Borderless Strings
Brings together music from different eras and cultures, spanning classical, tango, jazz, folk, and beyond. The program concludes with a fresh arrangement of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons for violin and guitar, showcasing the duo’s unique sound and versatility.
Astor Piazzolla (1921 - 1992)
Histoire du Tango
Bordel 1900
Ennio Morricone (1928 - 2020)
Nuovo Cinema Paradiso
Bela Bartok (1881 - 1945)
Romanian Folk Dances
Frédéric Chopin (1810 - 1849)
Nocturne C#-minor
Manuel de Falla (1876 - 1946)
Spanish Dance No.1 “La Vida Breve”
Intermission
Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)
Four Seasons
Spring / Summer / Autumn / Winter
Cinematic Scenes
Yu&I duo met in Los Angeles and the movie culture there inspired us to arrange music from the movies. Classical guitar is often featured in romantic movies, and so are beautiful violin melodies and string orchestra. This program carried the listener away to different movie scenes, going through the emotions we all love about Hollywood.
Niccolò Paganini
Centone di Sonate, Op.64, No.1, A-minor
Ennio Morricone
Nuovo Cinema Paradiso
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Nuovo Cinema Paradiso
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Prima Gioventu
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Tema d’Amore
Frédéric Chopin
Nocturne C#-minor, Op. Posth.
Édith Piaf
La Vie En Rose
Intermission
Niccolò Paganini
Sonata Concertata, Op.61, A-major
Robert Lopez, Christen Anderson-Lopez
Remember Me (Coco)
John Williams
Schindler’s List
Stanley Myers
Cavatina (The Deer Hunter)
Astor Piazzolla
Nightclub 1960 - LiberTango
Seasons Through Time
Showcases the remarkable mastery of both baroque and modern repertoire. From the fiery elegance of Corelli’s La Folia and the vivid landscapes of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons to the passionate rhythms of Piazzolla’s Histoire du Tango, this program celebrates the duo’s versatility and the timeless power of music across centuries.
Arcangelo Corelli (1653 –1713)
Sonata in D minor, “La Folia” (madness)
Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)
Four Seasons
"Spring" (La primavera)
Allegro
Largo e pianissimo sempre
Allegro (Danza pastorale)
"Summer" (L’estate)
- Allegro non molto
- Adagio e piano – Presto e forte
- Presto
"Autumn" (L’autunno)
Allegro
Adagio molto
Allegro
"Winter" (L’inverno)
Allegro non molto
Largo
Allegro
Astor Piazzolla (1921–1992)
Histoire du Tango
Bordel 1900
Nightclub 1960
Love & Fire
Folk inspired music for violin and guitar. A captivating program that blends timeless beauty and passionate intensity. With selections ranging from the 17th century until early 20th century Spanish Nationalist music, the listener is transported through a rich tapestry of emotions. Vivaldi’s winter evokes the frosty wonders of the season, while Morricone’s compositions from Nuovo Cinema Paradiso capture nostalgic love and cinematic magic. De Falla’s works ignite the stage with fiery passion. “Love & Fire” promises an unforgettable musical experience of deep emotions and classical beauty.
Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber (1644-1704)
Romanesca Sonata No.1 in A-Major
Enrique Granados (1867-1916)
Danzas Españolas
Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)
L’inverno / Winter
Allegro non molto Largo Allegro
Ennio Morricone (1928 - 2020)
Nuovo Cinema Paradiso
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Nuovo Cinema Paradiso
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Prima Gioventu
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Tema d’Amore
Manuel de Falla (1876 –1946)
Danza Ritual del Fuego
Nana (from Siete Canciones)
Spanish Dance No.1: La Vida Breve
Bios
Winners of the prestigious Beverly Hills National Auditions, violinist YuEun Gemma Kim and guitarist Ines Thomé share a remarkable story that began over a decade ago. Originally from Korea and Germany, the two met as housemates in a charming Victorian home in Los Angeles while studying at USC’s Thornton School of Music. Their friendship quickly grew into a deep musical partnership, shaped by their unique personalities and musical voices, and nurtured over 13 years of performing and growing together.
Yu&I Duo is well known for creating a special connection with their audiences, combining engaging storytelling, charm, and warmth with exceptional musicality. Over the years, their artistry and chemistry have captivated audiences across the United States. As accomplished soloists and prize-winning musicians, they bring a vibrant mix of classical elegance and adventurous spirit to every performance. Their repertoire crosses genres and eras, from early music and folk traditions to contemporary and popular works, all performed with warmth, precision, and imagination.
In recent seasons, Yu&I Duo has toured extensively, performing in 12 states across the U.S. and appearing at esteemed venues and festivals including UCLA’s Bruman Chamber Music Festival, the Central Oregon Symphony, Grand Concerts (CO), Umpqua Symphony (OR), and The Blue Hill Concert Association in Maine. They were also invited to perform by the St. Louis Classical Guitar Society and the Utah Classical Guitar Society, where their unique blend of violin and guitar earned enthusiastic acclaim.
Following the success of their debut album, A Journey with Yu&I (2024) - a celebration of folk-inspired melodies from Korea and Germany - the duo continues to explore new musical landscapes.
For the upcoming season, they are developing a unique version of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, highlighting their signature blend of violin and guitar. Whether performing Vivaldi, Piazzolla, or modern cinematic works, Yu&I creates performances that are at once intimate, expressive, and full of joyful connection.
YuEun Kim
Violin
Award-winning South Korean violinist YuEun Gemma Kim concertizes internationally as
soloist and chamber musician in a wide variety of repertoire on modern and baroque
period instruments. She moved to the United States in 2013 to attend University of
Southern California, where she studied with Midori Goto. She has been performing in
the US, Asia, and Europe with ensembles like Delirium Musicum, American Bach
Soloists, Boulder Bach Festival, Voices of Music, Noree Chamber Soloists, Kumho
Chamber Music Society and many more. She was a top prize winner at Boulder
International Chamber Music Competition Art of Duo, a semi-finalist at the Qingdao
International Violin Competition in China and at the Michael Hill International Violin
Competition in New Zealand, and recently received the Jeffrey Thomas Award from
American Bach Soloists.
YuEun is a core member of the self-conducted chamber orchestra Delirium Musicum.
During the pandemic, Delirium Musicum created MusiKaravan, which took YuEun and
Artistic Director Etienne Gara on the road in a vintage Volkswagen bus to perform
socially-distanced concerts for farm workers, winemakers, random passersby, and even
the occasional ostrich. MusiKaravan won the Audience Choice Award of the
San Francisco Classical Voice for “Best Streaming Series”. She participated in Delirium
Musicum’s recent debut album, “Seasons” under the label Warner Classics.
In 2022, YuEun was named Artist-in-Residence at Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra
and this season, she will appear as a soloist with The Chamber Orchestra at St.
Matthew’s, Los Angeles Virtuosi Orchestra, American Bach Soloists, Musica Angelica
Baroque Orchestra and will perform in Europe and Asia.
Her Chopin’s Nocturne video on her YouTube reached over 15 million views.
Ines Thome
Guitar
Ines Thomé is a German-born guitarist, chamber musician, and educator. She completed her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Germany and earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
Ines's exceptional talent and dedication to music are evident through her numerous awards from international competitions in Germany, Italy, and the United States, including First Prizes at the Beverly Hills National Auditions, the International Guitar Competition in Walnut Creek, California, and the American Guitar Society's Bickford Competition. Ines has been invited to give solo recitals at prestigious venues such as the Stuttgart International Guitar Festival in Germany, the Los Angeles Guitar Festival, and various concert series in the U.S. and Germany.In addition to her achievements in classical guitar, Ines has a keen interest in historical performance practice. She enjoys playing a variety of period instruments, including the lute, theorbo, and baroque guitar. She has performed on period instruments with the USC Opera and the American Contemporary Ballet, and she has also participated in the Berkeley Early Music Festival. Her dedication to early music was recognized with an award at the International Guitar Competition in Erwitte, Germany. While she was still in Germany, Ines played electric guitar in the female metal and Arven, with whom she released two albums.
In addition to her successful career as a performer, Ines has been teaching guitar for over 20 years. She currently directs the only elementary guitar program in the Muscogee County School District, where she loves creating innovative arrangements that incorporate a variety of instruments. When not performing and teaching, Ines loves to play soccer with her 4-year-old son Vincent and has been seen paragliding through the Alps.
Reviews
Yu & I Win Over Grand Theatre Audience
Duo entertains, educates, edifies
by: RICHARD WILSON wilson@dailygate.com
2/15/2024
I wondered how a couple of hours of violin and guitar music would work, or could those two instruments possibly be entertaining for long. Yu & I pulled it off! In style, with grace, and by skillful programming. And sheer individual talent joined together to make something amazing. Their concert was entertaining, informative, and something to remember with joy for years to come.The violinist YuEun Gemma Kim came to the U.S. from Korea, and the guitarist Ines Thomé arrived here from Germany. Kim earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in violin performance from the Seoul National University, and graduated with her Artist Diploma at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music. Thomé earned her “Diplom” and Master’s degrees from Stuttgart State University of Performing Arts in Germany, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Southern California. They met when they were studying in California and found themselves living in the same house. They respected each other’s talent and found they worked well together.
Now, 10 years later, they enchant audiences throughout the U.S. and overseas as well.Obviously they have credentials, but what did the Keokuk audience think of them? The first piece, the three-movement “Histoire de Tango,” by Astor Piazzolia, with its varied moods reflecting the evolution of the sensuous tango from 1900 to 1960, was met with deafening applause. The duo moved to the contemporary with music from the movies “The Deer Hunter” and “Cinema Paradiso,” both of which captured the audience. The two performers also talked about some of their pieces and successfully engaged the audience. Kim said that the next piece was technically difficult and she was faced with performing it for auditions on several occasions, Paganini’s “Centone di Sonate” in A-minor. It was great!
Their program covered many periods, from the 1600s to 2020, moving from von Biber (1644-1704); through an arrangement of Chopin’s piano “Nocturne” in C-sharp minor written in the early 1800s and “Schubert’s “Die Forelle” (“The Trout”) from the late 1800s; “La Vie en Rose” written in 1945 by Édith Piaf; and the aforementioned movie themes from just a few decades ago. The interesting thing is it all worked. Their individual mastery of their respective instrument and the magic that happened as they worked flawlessly together brought about more and more applause, and finally shouts of “Encore!” as they concluded the concert with Manuel de Falla’s Spanish Dance. And what an encore they gave to the audience... a brilliant transcription of Antonio Vivaldi’s “L’Inverno” (Winter)! So, blessed with memories of a magical performance at the Grand Theatre, I say to YuEun Kim, “Gamsahamnida,” and to Ines Thomé, “Danke schön” – a great big Thank You!
Outreach
YuEun and Ines have extensive outreach experience and Ines was awarded USC’s outreach award in 2015. They especially enjoy playing for kids (of all ages), sharing their love and talent for music. Seeing kids get excited for music and their instruments is a passion of Yu&I. Telling stories with their music, Yu&I gets the kids involved with dancing, singing, and clapping along with the music. Their programs are engaging for all and include well known songs arranged for violin and guitar.