Shawyon Malek is a third year music major and began studying the violin at the age of five. He first joined the UCDSO in the fall of 2009 and has been a member ever since. In addition to the UCDSO, he has been a violinist of the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra from 2007–09. Last summer he was invited to play at the Aldeburgh Festival with the Britten-Pears Orchestra. He also plays in chamber ensembles at the university and currently studies with Dan Flanagan.