"Fix at least one thing:" An Interview with Flutist Jungah Yoon

Practice Tip Tuesday is BACK! Enjoy this interview between Hans Jensen and recent winner of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Principal Flute Audition, Jungah Yoon where she shares her thoughts on audition preparation and her practice philosophy!

Jungah Yoon is the newly appointed principal flutist of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Previously, she was a flute fellow at the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. She has performed with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and the Grand Rapids Symphony. Ms. Yoon has spent summers at the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival and the Tanglewood Music Center, where she worked under the direction of Andris Nelsons, Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Dima Slobodeniouk, Thomas Adès, and Thomas Wilkins.

As a soloist, Ms. Yoon has appeared across the United States and Asia. She is a prize winner of prestigious competitions, including the Donald Peck International Competition, the Seattle Young Artist Competition, the Australian Flute Festival Competition, and the Osaka International Competition in Japan. She was also selected as a Woodwind Fellow of the Luminarts Cultural Foundation in Chicago. Ms. Yoon performed as a soloist with the Yale Philharmonia after winning the Woolsey Hall Concerto Competition and appeared at the Prague Spring International Music Competition in Dvorak Hall. Most recently, she gave a solo recital for the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert Series in Chicago.

In addition to appearance on stage, Ms. Yoon is committed to teaching. She served as affiliate flute faculty at Bradley University in 2024 and taught undergraduate students at Bienen School of Music, Northwestern University from 2022 to 2024 as a teaching assistant.

Ms. Yoon earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the Korea National University of Arts, where she graduated early due to academic excellence. She holds a Master of Music degree from the Yale School of Music, where she received the Thomas Daniel Nyfenger Prize, awarded to a graduating student who has demonstrated the highest standard of excellence in woodwind playing. She is currently pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the Bienen School of Music. Her primary teachers include John Thorne, Ransom Wilson, and Joohee Lee.

First, thank you for doing this interview, and congratulations on winning the principal flute position with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. That is a wonderful accomplishment!

Thank you for having me!

I understand that you have had a lot of orchestral experience both as part of your education and as a substitute with several major orchestras. Are there any special concerts or experiences that inspired you to want to play in an orchestra?

This might sound a little cheesy, but honestly, every concert has felt special in a different way. What really inspired me over time was realizing how different orchestras can sound, even when they’re playing the exact same piece. The colors, phrasing, and overall character can be completely different. Also, playing with different flutists has been really inspiring. Hearing their sounds and musical ideas kind of expanded how I think about playing. So I think all of those experiences together made me want to pursue orchestral playing more seriously.

You have been very successful from a young age, having given a debut recital at the age of ten in Korea, where you grew up. Do you have any memories from that recital?

Looking back, I was so young—it almost feels surreal now. I auditioned for the Kumho Prodigy Recital Series in Korea, which was a really big opportunity for young musicians at the time. I remember I was just so excited. I got to perform repertoire that usually older students would play, so for me it felt like a huge achievement. More than anything, I just remember feeling proud and happy to be on stage!

Being successful as a young musician must have taught you a great deal of discipline from an early age. It is often very difficult for many students to maintain consistency in their practice routines. Do you have any tips on how to develop or maintain consistency in daily practice?

I think consistency is actually less about motivation and more about building a habit. For me, my routine is pretty flexible, but my goals are very specific. I usually set small goals before I start practicing, so even if I don’t have a lot of time, I still know what I want to get done.

Also, I try to be realistic with my schedule. If I have four hours, I plan differently than when I only have one or two. And honestly, I think it’s really important to step away sometimes—do things outside of music. That actually helps me come back more focused and keep things consistent long-term.

How do you handle self-critique? Some students become overly self-critical, which can lead to negative effects and discouragement. While self-critique is essential for growth and improvement, it’s important to keep it constructive. Have you faced challenges in this area as you have studied over the years?

I think if you practice a lot and listen to yourself constantly, at some point you will become overly self-critical, and it’s kind of inevitable. And I’ve definitely gone through that.

When that happens, I try to reset a little. One thing that helps is just playing something for fun—like lyrical pieces I enjoy. For me, I often go back to the Reinecke Flute Sonata or Concerto. It reminds me why I love playing in the first place. I also like watching performances that inspire me—watching my favorite artists’ performance videos, international competitions, or CSO performances when I was at Northwestern.

Lastly, something small but important—I try to end each practice session feeling like I fixed at least one thing. Even just one. That keeps me from feeling stuck or discouraged.

I would like to ask some specific questions about the process of preparing for orchestral auditions. Do you have a specific process for learning new orchestral excerpts?

I start by listening to a wide range of recordings from different orchestras. Whether I like them or not, I try to absorb as many interpretations as possible. This helps me build flexibility and awareness of different musical approaches. After gathering those ideas, I begin practicing. At that point, I start to form my own interpretation by identifying what resonates with me and shaping a clear musical direction.

How do you balance practicing at a slow tempo versus playing at full tempo?

I almost always start under tempo, whether it’s excerpts or solo repertoire, just until everything feels really comfortable in my body. But even at a slower tempo, I still try to keep the character and dynamics there. Then I gradually bring it up to tempo, but only when I feel like both the technical and musical aspects are really solid.

Do you have any specific tricks for performing each excerpt at the correct tempo?

Finding the right tempo can be challenging, especially under pressure. In the practice room, I work a lot with the metronome and explore a range of tempos—from the slowest to the fastest that still feels musically convincing. That helps me identify a tempo that best brings out the character of the excerpt. In auditions, I often imagine the passage that helps to set the tempo before I play. That helps me immediately establish the right tempo in my mind.

Do you have specific methods for using the metronome in your practice versus when you do not use it?

When I use the metronome, I focus on the larger pulse to maintain a natural flow. As I get closer to an audition, I gradually stop using it and instead internalize the tempo. Before playing, I think about the musical line to set the tempo clearly in my mind. Recording myself also helps me check whether my tempo and rhythm are consistent.

To become aware of what is happening in the other instruments compared to the part you are playing, how do you balance studying the score versus listening to recordings?

I spend a lot of time with the score, especially at the beginning of the process. I look at who I’m playing with, what’s happening around my part, whether I’m leading or supporting, and how everything fits together musically. Then, when I listen to recordings, I often notice things I didn’t catch in the score. For me, it’s about a balanced approach. I’d say I spend roughly equal time on score study and active listening.

Do you have special methods for putting yourself in a practice audition situation, such as playing a run-through for your teacher, Professor John Thorne, at Northwestern, recording yourself, or performing for a studio class?