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After 46 years of service, Joyce Noh, a member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s second violin section, retired on June 30. Before joining the CSO in 1979, she began her professional career in 1977 as a member of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. The first Asian woman to join the CSO, Noh was appointed by the eighth music director Sir Georg Solti.
Noh will be recognized with the CSO’s Theodore Thomas Medallion for Distinguished Service at a date to be announced.
During CSO tenure, Noh performed under music directors Sir Georg Solti, Daniel Barenboim and Riccardo Muti, as well as Principal Conductor Bernard Haitink, principal guest conductors Claudio Abbado and Pierre Boulez and Zell Music Director Designate Klaus Mäkelä. She participated in 43 international tours, including the CSO’s first trips to Australia, Russia and South America, as well as on many U.S. tours; in 2024, she made her final CSO tour to Europe with Riccardo Muti.
In addition, Noh regularly participated in the CSO Chamber Music series, including memorable performances in Fullerton Hall at the Art Institute of Chicago. She was also a member of CSO ensembles that performed in Chicago area schools, as well as at community organizations for seniors and the disabled in support of music education and community engagement activities over the years.
Reflecting on her CSO tenure, Noh said, “I have incredible memories of making music with my wonderful colleagues over so many years and in concert halls across the country and around the world. When I joined the Orchestra, there were only a few women, but now there are many more who bring their exceptional artistry into our performances. Seeing that change in the ensemble has been very rewarding. I also feel grateful to have had the opportunity to share music with young people in classrooms and in the CSO’s school and family concerts. Music is important for everyone, and I’m glad I could be part of this.”
As a violin soloist, Noh performed with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra; she also has been featured in recitals and chamber music concerts across the United States, as well as on television and radio programs, including live broadcasts on WFMT-FM, Chicago’s fine arts radio station.
A dedicated educator and champion for music education, Noh has more than 30 years of teaching experience; she has mentored young musicians who have gone on to top music schools and professional careers. Noh also has been a board member of the Sejong Cultural Society in Chicago and served as a judge for the Sejong Music Competition.
As she started her own musical journey in Seoul, Noh first studied with her mother, Yeonok Lee, who was among the first female violinists hired to play in the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. Joyce Noh went on to be recognized with support from Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and humanitarian Pearl S. Buck, who invited Noh to the United States in 1968, after offering her a full music scholarship.
Joyce Noh attended Philadelphia’s New School of Music, which was founded by the Curtis String Quartet, including violinist Jascha Brodsky, who was Noh’s mentor and teacher. Noh also attended the Juilliard School, where she studied with Ivan Galamian before pursuing additional chamber music studies with renowned violinists Felix Galimar and Robert Mann.
After her CSO tenure, Noh looks forward to finding new opportunities to continue inspiring concert audiences and young musicians alike, as she also enjoys more time with her three children and four grandchildren and traveling to some of her favorite places.
