The Daniel Pearl Memorial Violin was crafted by Jonathan Cooper of Maine to honor the slain American reporter, who was an accomplished violinist and fiddler. Kailin will have this precious instrument for one year, using it for all of his musical endeavors. Offering several Daniel Pearl Music Day concerts with his jazz quartet, Boulder Acoustic Society and with the Boulder Youth Symphony, Kailin dedicates these performances to Daniel Pearl in Singapore as well as Colorado.

“I feel very honored to be the recipient of the Daniel Pearl Memorial Violin. I feel spiritually connected to the cause of this musical mission of peace,” said Kailin. “I think it is one of the most beautiful things ever to see people of all backgrounds come together, to be moved and transported to heaven by music, overcoming all the ugliness, hatred, and greed in the world. Our calling as musicians is to keep making beautiful music so that people are constantly being reminded of the positive side of Life.”

The violin has been his constant companion since age 6. Winning first prize in the Singapore National Music Competition, Kailin toured the world with the Asian Youth Orchestra and then completed his studies in classical violin performance and chamber music at the Vienna Academy of Music. He came to the USA in 1999 to co-found the Aerith String Quartet, performing extensively in the USA and Asia. Kailin continues to perform across the USA as a solo artist as well as playing with Boulder Acoustic Society (recent winner of the 2004 Colorado Music Competition ‘Notes at 9000: Emerging Artist Series in Winter Park, CO.), the Colorado Mahlerfestival Orchestra, the Tango Camerata, and Saltanah Ensemble and the multi-genre project Infinite Possibilities Of the Violin (IPOV).

Kailin enjoys composing original music and making creative arrangements for all the great musicians who touch his life. Involved with Colorado chamber music outreach programs Up Close and Musical Ensemble and Art Reaching Kids, Kailin has been a teacher of violin and improvisational styles for more than ten years and was invited as a soloist and instructor to the First Asia Suzuki Conference.

Audiences far and wide are familiar with Kailin as a multi-faceted artist. It is as common to hear him playing a Bach solo sonata as to hear him jamming on Sweet Georgia Brown with his jazz quartet. Composing his new solo album, Kailin reflects on his life’s journey with a ‘musical diary’ of the past 10 years in which he explores his rich classical path to discover exciting new musical expression and styles. Next for Kailin is his engagement to record with the San Francisco Symphony for the soundtrack of the U.S. Forest Service’s 100th Anniversary Documentary. ‘So Many Stars in the Sky’ is his eagerly awaited new CD release with neo-acoustic jazz quartet Boulder Acoustic Society, making its debut in October, 2004.

For more information on Kailin Yong please contact Ellen or him directly at kailin@stringsoftao.com or visit him on the web at www.stringsoftao.com or www.boulderacousticsociety.net