Stephanie Yu is a Los Angeles-based violinist whose work honors classical traditions while embracing sonic innovation. A versatile performer, composer, and collaborator, she has forged a dynamic career spanning orchestral stages, recording studios, and film sets. Stephanie holds both a Bachelor and Master of Music from The Juilliard School, where she was a recipient of the C.V. Starr and Teplitsky Memorial scholarships. As an orchestral and chamber musician, she has performed at internationally renowned venues including the Royal Albert Hall (London), Berghain (Berlin), Kennedy Center (Washington, D.C.), Metropolitan Opera House and Carnegie Hall (New York), and Walt Disney Concert Hall (Los Angeles). She has also worked for notable ensembles such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Pacific Symphony, and San Diego Symphony.
Stephanie’s expertise extends to studio work, where she continues to record with Oscar and Emmy-winning composers for film, television, and video games. Her wide-ranging studio credits include recordings and live sessions with iconic artists such as Beyoncé, Chloe x Halle, Cypress Hill, Danny Elfman, Justin Timberlake, Jon Batiste, Sigur Rós, Kendrick Lamar, Mariah Carey, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Rakim, Rihanna, Stevie Wonder, The Who, among others. An interesting fact: her first paid gig was at age eight, playing on the score for the film Music of the Heart. Additionally, she serves as a music consultant and coach for on-screen violin performances in film and television productions.
As an active member of the Recording Academy, Stephanie is deeply committed to discovering and supporting new music. She served as a monthly resident DJ for NTS Radio, a global broadcast platform with studios in London, Los Angeles, and Shanghai, where she shared her eclectic musical taste with a worldwide audience. In 2026, Stephanie will release her debut full-length album, Altar of Tomorrow, under the Curious Music label. The project features her collaborations with producer and engineer Collin Davis and exemplifies her ongoing pursuit of innovative, genre-blending compositions.
Beyond her artistic pursuits, Stephanie is dedicated to fostering community and providing educational opportunities through music. She has volunteered with Shining Light, a performing arts initiative that offers hope and empowerment through spoken word and music to incarcerated individuals. In 2012 and 2013, she and a team of Juilliard students traveled to Japan’s Tohoku region, performing for communities affected by the 2011 tsunami, providing healing through music. Stephanie has also traveled to Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, to mentor students of Neojiba, a program modeled on Venezuela’s renowned El Sistema for social change through music. Her commitment to arts education is further demonstrated through her roles at Juilliard, where she was an Instrumental Music Program Fellow at P.S. 11 and P.S. 84, an English Teaching Fellow, a Colloquium Peer Mentor, and a Gluck Community Service Fellow.
Her artistic development has been supported through fellowships and scholarships from the Perlman Music Program, London Masterclasses, Castleton Festival, National Symphony Orchestra Music Institute, ENCORE School for Strings, Aspen Music Festival, Elizabeth Mandell Music Institute at Crossroads School, and Colburn Foundation. She has studied under distinguished teachers such as Masao Kawasaki, Joseph Lin, Catherine Cho, Bing Wang, and Alexander Treger. A recipient of the Merv Griffin Memorial Scholarship at age 16, Stephanie performed as a guest soloist with the Young Musicians Foundation (YMF) Debut Orchestra at their annual gala at the Beverly Hills Hilton, sharing the stage with actor and director Clint Eastwood.
Outside of her musical career, Stephanie is passionate about staying active and giving back. She has completed the New York City Marathon (2015) and the Los Angeles Marathon (2018), and is a regular outreach worker supporting unhoused communities and cat rescues.