Hyun Jae Lim started her musical training at the age of four, learning piano and then the violin at age seven: “Music quickly became a natural part of my everyday life.” She completed her bachelor’s degree as a Howard and Carol Lidz fellow at the Curtis Institute of Music, where she studied with Midori, Shmuel Ashkenasi, and Arnold Steinhardt. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree, also at Curtis, under the guidance of Midori. 

​

Following a major accident in 2020, Hyun Jae was unable to play the violin for four years. It was only in June 2024 that she picked up her violin again, finding a new routine that allowed her to reconnect with her instrument. Since that time, she has had tremendous success, first as a semifinalist at the Isang Yun International Violin Competition (2024) and the Sibelius International Violin Competition (2025), then winning first prizes at the Seoul International Music Competition (2025) and the Elmar Oliveira International Violin Competition (2026). 

​

Hyun Jae has made solo appearances with the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Houston Symphony, and has performed in Marian Anderson Hall (Philadelphia), at the National Gallery of Art (Washington, DC), in Victoria Hall (Geneva), at the Miller Outdoor Theater (Houston), and the Jordan Hall (Boston), among many others. In 2018, she was awarded the Third Prize during the Yehudi Menuhin International Competition for Young Violinists, and was the youngest prizewinner at the Singapore International Violin Competition in 2015, where she was awarded the fifth prize as well as the prize for the Best performance of Bach. She was also featured on NPR’s “From the Top” 15th anniversary show the same year.  Highlights of her 2026–27 season include her debut with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra under Jaap van Zweden, a Korea tour as soloist with Orchestra da Camera di Mantova, and a series of engagements in the United States, including her Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra debut in fall of 2026. 

​

Lim is supported by Korean Air, which provides complimentary air travel for her international professional engagements.