Assistant Concertmaster, Haixin Wu
Violinist Hai Xin Wu joined the Detroit Symphony Orchestra violin section in July 1995 and was
appointed Assistant Concertmaster of the DSO in June 2004. He previously performed throughout the
United States, Europe and his native China. At the age of 12, Wu was selected as the violin soloist of the
Chinese Young Artists’ group to tour the former Yugoslavia. In May 1995, he made his Carnegie Hall
debut in New York City, performing the Paganini Violin Concerto with the New York Concert Senior
Orchestra. Wu was also featured as soloist with the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra in its 25th Anniversary
Gala Concert in Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, with the Manhattan Chamber Orchestra on its recording
and Midwest tour, with Bergen Philharmonic (New Jersey), among others.
Wu has won many competitions including the Waldo Mayo Violin Competition, the Friends of Bergen
Philharmonic Orchestra Competition and the Manhattan School of Music Concerto Competition, as well
as a special prize in the 2002 Lipizer International Competition. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree
from the Manhattan School of Music as a scholarship student of Ariana Bronne.
In addition to performing with the DSO, Wu often plays with various chamber groups, such as the
Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings and the Cuttime Players. From 1998-2001, he was a member of the
Sonnet String Quartet, quartet -in-residence at the Oakland University. He is currently an adjunct faculty
member in the Wayne State University Music Department and a violin and chamber music coach of the
Detroit Civic Orchestra.
Assistant Concertmaster, Jennifer Wey
Violinist Jennifer Wey is the Assistant Concertmaster and currently youngest member of the Detroit
Symphony Orchestra, joining in 2013. A native of San Jose, California, Jennifer began her musical studies
at age three as part of the Suzuki Program. In a few short years, she was invited to perform for governor
Gray Davis at the state capital, and at the Closing Ceremony of San Francisco's DeYoung Museum.
Jennifer made her solo debut with orchestra at age ten, and went on to perform with various West coast
orchestras,such as the Peninsula and Nova Vista Symphonies. Early influences to pursue a musical career
include participation in the Perlman Music Program and San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra.
As a firm believer that chamber music creates not only better orchestras but also better people, Jennifer
has been actively involved in chamber ensembles since her childhood. She was featured at Carnegie Hall
with her San Francisco-based piano trio, and her string quartet won New England Conservatory's Honors
Ensemble Award. Jennifer has performed as a substitute with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Houston
Symphony, and New World Symphony, and attended the Pacific Music Festival, Tanglewood Music
Center, Sarasota Music Festival, and Spoleto USA Festival on full scholarships. She received her
Bachelor's degree from New England Conservatory in 2012 as a student of Lucy Chapman, and
completed one year of graduate studies at Rice University with Cho-Liang Lin before joining the DSO. In
addition, Jennifer has enjoyed teaching young violin students since she was in middle school, and
advocates that often, little people are smarter than big people. Aside from music, she loves Calvin and
Hobbes comics, George Eliot novels, journal-writing, long hikes, and the Golden State Warriors. Jennifer
owes any and all achievements to her loving family and patient teachers, whose unconditional faith and
support make it possible for her to pursue her musical endeavors.
Acting viola principal, Jim Vanvalkenburg
James VanValkenburg, Assistant Principal Viola of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, came to orchestral
playing after a satisfying career in chamber music. As a founding member of the International String
Quartet, he toured the world with concerts in Europe, the Far East, South America, and the United
States. The quartet won several notable prizes, including the Munich Competition, East & West Artists of
New York, and first prize in the Premier Grand Prix at the International Chamber Music Competition in
Evian, France.
A graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy and Indiana University School of Music, VanValkenburg has
enjoyed chamber music collaborations with many of his favorite musicians: Menahem Pressler, Gidon
Kremer, Mischa Maisky, David Shifrin, and Isaac Stern. He became a member of Detroit Chamber Winds
& Strings in 2004. His recent recordings, all on the Koch International label, include a violin-viola duet by
William Bolcom, piano quartets by Franz Waxman and the Stravinsky septet. VanValkenburg enjoys
spending time with his wife and two boys, ages 14 and 11, as well as training for and competing in
Ironman triathlons.
Assistant Principal Cello, Dahae Kim
This season will be Dahae Kim’s first with the Detroit Symphony, as the most recent addition to its cello
section. She graduated in May of 2013 from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, where
she was the recipient of the Conservatory’s prestigious Gregor Piatigorsky Scholarship, earning
Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees as a student of Laurence Lesser and Paul Katz. She also studied
privately with famed cellist Bernard Greenhouse, formerly of the Beaux Arts Trio.
In 2010, Dahae was the winner of the Hudson Valley Philharmonic Strings Competition, resulting in a
performance of the Shostakovich Cello Concerto in 2011, and she has also performed as concerto soloist
with the National Repertory Orchestra, where she served as principal cellist in the summer of 2012.
Dahae also spent three summers at the Tanglewood Music Center, where she studied with members of
the Boston Symphony Orchestra and played under conductors including Charles Dutoit, Rafael Frühbeck
de Burgos, Bernard Haitink, James Levine, André Previn and Michael Tilson Thomas. As a chamber
musician, she has performed in Jordan and Ozawa Halls and coached with members of the Cleveland,
Takács, Borromeo and Juilliard string quartets.
Dahae was born in Seoul, Korea and moved to Rockland County, New York with her family at the age of
8, where she took up cello studies with Irene Sharp and New York Philharmonic cellist, Qiang Tu. She is
an avid dog lover and proud owner of the sweetest dog ever, named Mickey.