Gold medalist at the 2003 Henryk Szeryng International Violin Competition and special jury-prize winner at the 2001 Sarasate International Violin Competition, Sylvia Kim Kilcullen has been a winner in local, national and international competitions.
Kilcullen began her studies at the age of three with Carol Cole and continued at Lynn University Conservatory of Music with Sergiu Schwartz. After earning a bachelor of music degree from Lynn, she attended the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where she received an artist diploma under Pamela Frank and Ida Kavafian. An avid chamber musician, she has collaborated with such artists as Gary Graffman, William Preucil and Peter Wiley.
After performing as a member of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra for four years, Kilcullen was appointed to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra by Riccardo Muti in 2012. She was promoted to assistant principal second violin in 2013 and served in that capacity until 2020. Kilcullen continued to perform in the Orchestra through 2024.
