Violinist Grace Park has launched her debut album, featuring key works by Dvořák and Mozart. The recording is released on the Orchid Classics label, with conductor Emmanuel Villaume and the Prague Philharmonia.
At the heart of this album is a rare orchestration by Alex Fortes of Dvořák’s Four Romantic Pieces. This piece is not often performed but has been part of Park’s repertoire since her youth. Alongside this is Mozart’s well-known Violin Concerto No. 5, often called the “Turkish,” a favorite among violinists worldwide.
Grace Park started violin lessons at age five at the Colburn School of Music. She continued her studies at the Colburn Conservatory and earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the New England Conservatory. Her main teachers were Donald Weilerstein, Miriam Fried, Sylvia Rosenberg, and Robert Lipsett.
Park has won the Naumburg International Violin Competition. She has performed as a soloist at many famous venues, including Walt Disney Concert Hall, Wigmore Hall, The Kennedy Center, The Rudolfinum in Prague, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Jordan Hall, and Rockefeller University.
Park said choosing pieces for her first album felt important but turned out to be easier than expected. “I wanted to pick music I have lived with for most of my life,” she said. “Mozart and Dvořák lived long ago, but their music still speaks deeply to me.”
She explained that every piece on the album marks a personal step in her growth as an artist and performer.
Working with Emmanuel Villaume and the Prague Philharmonia added great depth to the music, Park said. She also praised her producer, Michael Fine, whose clear vision helped bring out the full detail and emotion of the performances.
This album highlights Grace Park’s strong connection to classical music and her dedication to sharing these timeless works with listeners around the world.
