Chaeyeon You Artist Interview

1. Five Career Highlights

Looking back, there are five moments that truly changed my life: winning First Prize at both the Prague Spring International Competition (2019) and the Vienna New Year’s Concert International Competition (2019), my time at the Bavarian State Opera Academy, becoming Principal Flutist of the Hamburg State Opera, and my ongoing journey as a Powell Flutes Artist.

The Prague competition was my first real turning point. When I won in Vienna later that same year, I felt a deep conviction that this was truly the path I was meant to follow. After that, I decided to study abroad in Europe. My time at the Bavarian Opera Academy taught me how to live as a musician, not just how to play the flute. Now, as Principal Flutist in Hamburg and as a Powell Flutes Artist for the past nine years, I continue to discover what my own sound truly is.

2. Three Defining Moments

The first was the moment I experienced stage fright for the very first time. When I was in middle school, I joined a music festival where we performed every night. I had never been nervous on stage before, but one evening my legs suddenly started shaking, and I couldn’t play a single note properly. It was shocking. For about half a year I couldn’t control the fear, until one day I created a pre-performance routine: I began meditating, listening to music I loved, and reminding myself that the audience was not there to judge me, but to share in my music. That habit still stays with me today.

The second moment came when I wanted to quit music altogether. I entered university at sixteen, much younger than most people, and the age difference, jealousy, and social tension made things difficult. Honestly, I grew tired of it all and started to hate music. For a while, I even considered becoming a firefighter. But my teachers helped me see that leaving music would only hurt me more. Eventually, I picked up my flute again, and looking back, that period made me stronger. Both as a person and as a musician.

The third defining moment was my decision to study abroad. It felt like letting go of everything and starting from zero. The language, the culture, everything was unfamiliar, but the music was the same. That realization moved me deeply. From that moment, music began to feel like home.

3. What I Enjoy About Teaching

These days I mainly teach private lessons. What I love most about teaching is that my students remind me of my younger self. When I see their struggles, I think, I went through that too. So instead of giving them direct answers, I share the practice methods and thought processes that once helped me find my own solutions. They start to discover their own answers, and watching that process is so rewarding. In fact, I often feel that I learn just as much from them as they do from me.

4. What I Love Most About Performing

Every concert hall has a different resonance, and I find that endlessly fascinating. Even with the same piece, the sound changes depending on the space, and when spontaneous musical ideas arise in that moment, I feel completely alive.

I also love watching the faces of the audience. We may not speak, but we share the same moment together. Sometimes that brief exchange of expression feels like an even deeper conversation than the music itself.

5. Recording Experiences

I haven’t released a solo CD yet, but I’ve participated in two recording projects in Korea with wonderful musicians, both produced by DYC Company over the course of two years. I learned so much during those sessions, both musically and personally. You can still find those recordings on YouTube, and even now, when I listen, I can still feel the atmosphere of that time.

6. Upcoming Six Months

At the Hamburg State Opera, the coming months are filled with productions such as Tosca, Così fan tutte, Ariadne auf Naxos, and Die Zauberflöte. At the end of the year, I will also perform ballet works such as The Nutcracker.

In February 2026, I will return to Korea for several performances. On February 21, I’ll give a solo recital hosted by the Flute Art Center. On February 26, I will be a guest artist at the Flute Information Festival, joining Professors Christina Fassbender and Anne-Catherine Heinzmann in their duo recital, where I will perform duets and ensembles together with Professor Sunghyun Cho. We’ll also give a masterclass during the festival. I’m truly looking forward to that collaboration.

7. Personal and Professional Goals

My biggest personal goal right now is to live a balanced life. When I get deeply absorbed in music, I often forget to eat, but I’ve realized that isn’t good for either my health or my playing. I want to take better care of myself, run again, and learn how to rest.

Professionally, even though I’m now a tenured principal flutist, I’d like to expand my repertoire with a bit more calmness and space, and when opportunities arise, to meet audiences more often as a soloist on international stages.

8. My Greatest Inspiration

The emotions that come with love are my greatest source of inspiration. When I love someone deeply — whether it brings joy, vulnerability, or even pain — those feelings turn into sound. Through that process, I understand myself better, and the music becomes more honest. My family often reminds me of that kind of love — real, imperfect, but endlessly inspiring.

9. My Greatest Challenge

My whole life has been a series of challenges. At twelve, I left middle school to focus on practicing alone. At sixteen, I entered university and studied among adults. At seventeen, I competed in Prague and won. After graduation, I left my family in Korea and moved alone to Europe.

Each of those moments came with fear and uncertainty. There were times I felt emotionally exhausted and pressured by expectations. But every time, music brought me back. I listened endlessly to Chopin, Mahler, and Bruckner. Their music carried me through when I couldn’t carry myself.

10. My Musical Mentor

My greatest mentor is my flute teacher. I won’t mention her name, but she has watched over me for many years. In front of her, I’ve cried, gotten angry, and shown every side of myself. She always waited for me patiently. Although I learned much of my technique on my own, she taught me something far more important, how to keep emotional balance. That’s what I try to embody now.

11. My Hobbies and Personal Side

I enjoy things I can do alone. Writing in my journal, planning my schedule, collecting perfumes. (My favorite scent is Le Labo’s Another 13.)

And I absolutely love animation, especially Japanese anime. I’ve watched so much that I can actually speak a bit of Japanese, even though I never studied it formally. I often talk with my Japanese colleagues in their language, and during my summer trip to Japan, I spoke only Japanese with locals. My favorites are Crayon Shin-chan and anything by Studio Ghibli.

I’m also a huge cat lover, though I’m allergic to cats. So it’s always a one-sided love. Every night before bed, I watch cat videos on Instagram Reels. That’s how I end my day.

12. Advice for Young Flutists

Everyone has their own strengths and unique qualities. It’s so important to know what yours are, and to find them, you must not be afraid of failure. Sometimes the things others call your flaws might actually be what make your playing most special.

And finally, we are all here because playing music itself makes us happy. Maybe not everyone feels that way all the time, but you do, and I hope you never forget that. In hard times, remember to breathe, and never lose the feeling you had when you first fell in love with music.