Violin

Because Hilary Hahn is only 18 and because she is about to play the most beautiful and musically profound work in the violin-and-orchestra repertory, the first question seems inevitable.Is it intimidating to perform Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D?"Always exciting, but not really scary," says the Baltimore-bred teen-ager, whose tumbling, golden brown ringlets, ivory skin and soul-penetrating eyes make her resemble a taller, prettier Sarah Jessica Parker."I learned it [the Beethoven] when I was 14, I made my German debut with it when I was 15 and I've played it a lot since," says Hahn, who performs the Beethoven with David Zinman and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday in Meyerhoff Hall.

Ensemble concert -- World Artists Experiences and Maryland Hall will present the Vienna-based Merlin Ensemble in a free concert at 7 p.m. Sunday at Maryland Hall, 801 Chase St., Annapolis. The program will feature Dvorak's Sonatina in G, opus 100 for violin and piano; Bartok's Contrasts for violin, clarinet, and piano; Schubert's Rondo in B minor, opus 70 for violin and piano; and Stravinsky's concert suite from The Soldier's Tale for violin, clarinet and piano. Musicians include ensemble leader and violinist Martin Walch, pianist Till Alexander Koerber and Haruhi Tanaka (left)

AAUW branch offers 4 scholarships of $1,500 The Severna Park Branch of the American Association of University Women is offering four scholarships of $1,500 each to female college students of Anne Arundel County. The scholarship is awarded in two installments of $750 per semester for the 2005-2006 academic year. Interested students may obtain an application at the Anne Arundel Community College Financial Aid Office. Applications are due back to the chair of the Transfer Scholarship Committee by March 1. A cover letter attached to the application provides additional details about the application process.

The Peggy and Yale Gordon Trust brings the Miami String Quartet to Har Sinai Congregation, 6300 Park Heights Ave., on Sunday at 3 p.m. in a free concert.The group is comprised of Ivan Chan, violin; Cathy Meng Robinson, violin; Chauncey Patterson, viola; and Keith Robinson, cello.Call 410-764-2882.Pub Date: 4/17/98

The student: Jennifer Leung, 15 School: Howard High Special achievement: She was concertmaster for the 2003 Maryland All-State Orchestra's March performance. She had to go through three levels of auditions to be placed as first-chair violin, the concertmaster's position in the orchestra. What is a concertmaster? If the conductor wants the orchestra members to play by themselves, "the first stand just leads everybody, and everybody has to watch their motions. They have their violin, and they sort of move it up and down in cues," Jennifer said.

Bin Huang, first-prize winner in the 1994 Paganini International Violin Competition in Genoa, Italy, will present a recital Thursday at 8:15 p.m. in Friedberg Hall at the Peabody Conservatory of Music.The recital is free.Ms. Huang, a 23-year-old citizen of China, is a student of Berl Senofsky at Peabody. She won the Paganini, regarded as one of the world's top four violin competitions, in October.For more information about the recital, call (410) 659-8124.

SHOWCASE OF NATIONSThe Baltimore area's Korean community will be conducting the city's last ethnic festival of '94 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. tomorrow at Hopkins Plaza.Attractions will range from tai kwon do demonstrations to colorfully costumed dancers to a variety of food. If you feel really adventurous, test kimchi (pickled cabbage). Other less potent food includes squid; gapchae noodles; kalbi, or seasoned pork ribs; and bukoki kalbi, prime rib in a garlic soy sauce.FIDDLING AROUNDThe Baltimore Museum of Industry will be the host for a demonstration of violin construction at 2 p.m. Sunday by David Wang, owner of the Peabody Violin Shop in Baltimore, and James Cox, an instrument maker.

Joshua Bell is looking for a soul mate.You wouldn't think he'd have problems -- he's young, he's famous, he's good-looking, he's got a great personality and he's perhaps the most talented American violinist of his generation.But the companion that Bell's looking for isn't a human being -- it's a violin."You're always looking for the right match for your personality -- it's like getting married," says Bell, who will play Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 3 with the Baltimore Symphony and conductor David Zinman tonight and tomorrow.

The Oakland Mills home of a renowned violinist got caught in cross-fire Friday night, sending the young Russian musician scrambling to save his beloved instrument, a 1721 Grancino violin.Emil Chudnovsky, 28, said he was watching television in his first-floor apartment in the 9600 block of White Acre Road after performing at two concerts when he heard a bullet shattersliding glass doors."It sounded like a firecracker hitting the bottom of a tin barrel," he said yesterday. "I quickly realized that when the glass shattered, anyone could run in and grab my violin."

Honors Recital planned Sunday at Smith TheatreHoward Community College will present the second annual Howard County Honors Recital at 7 p.m. Sunday in the HCC Smith Theatre.The musicians were selected by juried audition and represent the best of the soloists and chamber ensembles from the county middle and high school programs.The performers include Christopher Hemmerlein, violin; Jeff Hung, piano; Andrew Farrell, clarinet; Maya Bendor, violin; Chris Winters, saxophone; Joanna Lin, piano; Chris Dunn, guitar; Sarah Walton, flute; Anne Miller, violin; Elizabeth Hung, piano; and Jonathan Voelkel, violin.