Dawn Wohn
Artistic Director
Praised as having “a joyful sense of freedom, and a pure, unencumbered tone” by BBC Music Magazine, violinist Dawn Dongeun Wohn has performed in concert halls across five continents including Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. She has appeared as a soloist for live-broadcast performances with orchestras such as the Korean Broadcasting Symphony and the Aspen Conducting Orchestra, The New York Sinfonietta, and Japan’s Telemann Ensemble. In addition, she has performed recitals across the world including Carnegie Weill Hall, Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center, Merkin Hall, and Jordan Hall.
Her debut solo album Perspectives, featuring works by female composers was featured by the New York Times, Spotify and Apple Music and was chosen as one of WQXR’s best albums of the year. Her recent release, Unbounded by Delos Music explores music by American women. Both albums have been featured on radio programs all over the world and have been noted for “elegant and impassioned playing” (Classical Magazine), “warm, crystal-clear tone” (Whole Note Magazine), “stunning and panache” (IAWN) and “committed, caring and lovely playing” (Fanfare).
Dawn began her violin studies at age 4 and trained at The Juilliard School’s Pre-College Division as a full scholarship student of the renowned pedagogue Dorothy DeLay. Further studies include an undergraduate degree from The Juilliard School, a Master of Music and Artist Diploma from Yale University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Stony Brook University where she studied with Philip Setzer of the Emerson Quartet, Soovin Kim and Gilbert Kalish.
Committed to teaching the next generation of violinists, she is currently Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Mead Witter School of Music and teaches at Rocky Ridge Music Festival during the summers. Previously, she held the position of Associate Professor of Violin at Ohio University’s School of Music as well as Associate Concertmaster of Harrisburg Symphony.
Dawn performs on a 1732 Nicolo Gagliano violin and enjoys reading or spending time outdoors with her husband Jay, son Jasper and dog Wolfie (named after Mozart) when she is not performing or teaching. For more information on Dawn, please visit www.dawnplaysviolin.com
Jay Hutchinson
Executive Director
Jay’s work in the hospitality and wine industries has taken him from California to the East Coast, and now to the Midwest. He holds the Advanced Sommelier certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers, and is a candidate for the Master Sommelier title. His work as sommelier at Michelin-starred Ai Fiori in New York City was recognized by Wine Spectator with a Grand Award for the restaurant, Vogue magazine named the event series he founded in Boston a “culinary disruptor," and he served for several years as the marketing director for one of the nation’s top wine auction houses, Hart Davis Hart. For his contributions to Italian wine, he earned the title of Italian Wine Ambassador from VinItaly International Academy, and was inducted into L’Ordine dei Cavalieri del Tartufo e dei Vini d’Alba.
Throughout his time in the wine industry, Jay developed a deep interest in sustainability and agriculture. After moving to the Madison area, he accepted the position of Director of Sales & Marketing for Four Winds Farm, an 86-acre farm with a focus on permaculture and regenerative agriculture. He is working to develop markets for the farm's perennial crops while also building a robust hospitality business based in the farm's renovated 1930s dairy barn. In 2023, he launched Coppia Concerts with violinist Dawn Wohn, a multisensory concert series that pairs exceptional wines with performances by world class musicians. Jay holds an undergraduate degree from New England Conservatory and an MBA from Ohio University.
