Korean-American violinist Danbi Um radiates a timeless sophistication. Both in her choice of violin and the music that speaks to her, she embodies a classical elegance, drawing a sumptuous tone from her 1683 "ex-Petschek" Nicolo Amati.

Shaped by the guidance of internationally renowned mentors, her virtuoso interpretations evoke the grace and depth of a musical Golden Age. "When I was 14, I started studying with Joseph Silverstein, and that's when I really fell in love with music," says Um. "I remember going to my first lesson, and he demonstrated something for me. It was a kind of sound I'd never heard before—very much an old-world sound, like something from the 1930s and '40s of the Hollywood era. I immediately had an emotional connection to it."
Um's second solo album, Poeme Mystique, explores the emotional resonance of music inspired by poetry and art song. Building on her 2023 debut, Much Ado, which showcased Romantic works tied to her artistic growth, this new recording delves into compositions that evoke deeply personal bonds. "As writers express emotions through words, composers express emotions through music," Um explains, emphasizing the program's blend of literary and spiritual influences. Um recorded this album, anchored by Richard Strauss' Violin Sonata in E-flat, on the Amati she's played for a decade.

-Tell me about your primary instrument. 
I'm currently playing on the 1683 ex-Petschek Niccolo Amati, on loan to me from a private collector.

-What do you know about this instrument's history?
The violin was purchased by Charles Ignat Petschek, along with the "Huggins" Antonio Stradivari (which is the instrument being loaned to the winner of the Queen Elisabeth Violin Competition every four years). When Petschek fled to the US on a boat during the Second World War, he was instructed that he was charge of two things: a leather briefcase and the "Huggins" Strad. He was told that if the boat rocked and capsized, as was likely to happen, and he could only hold onto one item, he was to let go of the Strad and protect the briefcase instead, as it contained "more important and valuable" documents. The year the Amati was brought to the States by boat is unfortunately unknown, but it is speculated to be in the 1940s. Right before Petschek died, he told his children about his possession of this Amati violin, which had been in his apartment closet, and that it should be sold. This violin was not mentioned during his lifetime, and only at the end of his life was it revealed and subsequently sold to the current owner.

-How did you come to play it? What first drew you to it, and how did you know it was the right fit?
When I first came to New York after my studies abroad, I had to return a Guadag-nini violin that was on loan to me, and I was going to be left with no violin to play. While I was auditioning to join the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center roster, one of the jury members heard me and recommended me to the owner of the Amati violin because the owner was also looking for a player to use the instrument. I was definitely the lucky one. When I first had contact with the violin, I was drawn to the clarity and projection of the instrument, but more importantly, the violin had an emotionally raw and throbbing quality to the sound that attracted me. I would not say it has the most brilliant sound, but a sound that has a story to tell.

-What gift does your instrument bring to your playing that can't be found in any other instrument?
As it is with every instrument and the player, it is a partnership. It is now my tenth year playing this violin, and I have definitely grown as a musician together with it. I feel like this violin has a soulful quality in its timbre, and the clarity of the tone really complements my playing, particularly in the Romantic and post-Romantic repertoire.
This is evident in my upcoming album on Avie Records, which will feature sonatas by Bloch and Strauss, as well as short pieces by Fauré and Schubert.

-What is your instrument's personality and temperament like? Does it remind you of anyone or anything?
Luckily, the Amati is in great condition and doesn't really "act out" very often. Nico (as I affectionately refer to it) is a great, reliable companion.

-Does it perform better in certain situations?
The violin is quite reliable in general, but it does like to be in a dryer climate.