HyeJin Kim

Pianist HyeJin Kim has been described as “passionate, indisputably masterful technique with colorful interpretations,” (Der Westen) and is recognized as one of South Korea’s top artists with a comprehensive career as soloist, chamber musician, recording artist, and educator. Born in Seoul, Kim trained at the prestigious Yewon Arts School and Seoul Arts High School, and received numerous awards at competitions including the Hong Kong International Piano Competition, DAAD Prize in Germany, Steinway & Sons Advancement Award Competition, and the Toronto International Piano Competition. Kim was the youngest prize winner of the 55th Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition. Kim recently made her Carnegie Hall debut and has performed as a soloist with the Korean Chamber Orchestra, Westchester Philharmonic, San Bernardino Symphony, and Buffalo Philharmonic where Kim’s performance “had the utmost delicacy…. with a terrific flourish. She threw herself into music with grace and fortitude.” (The Buffalo News)

Kim has a diverse and colorful concert repertoire ranging from Bach and Mozart to Rachmaninoff and Gershwin. She has performed and toured internationally with numerous orchestras such as the Russian State Philharmonic, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Hessischer Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester Frankfurt, Pacific Symphony Orchestra, Prague Radio Symphony, Budapest Symphony Orchestras, Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic, Gyeong-gi and Dae-jeon Philharmonics, Seoul Art Festival Orchestra, Toronto Sinfonietta, Pilsen and Moravian Philharmonic Orchestras, State Symphony Orchestra of St. Petersburg, Nürnberger Symphoniker and the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie, MUSE/IQUE, and the Colburn Orchestra. She has performed with conductors such as Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Eliahu Inbal, JoAnn Falletta, Carl St. Clair, Valery Polyansky, Christoph Poppen, Achim Fiedler, George Master, Yehuda Gilad, Jiri Malat, Tomáš Hanus, Shi-yeon Sung, Dae Jin Kim, and Su-Yeol Choi, among others.

A polished, expressive and powerful soloist, Kim has been invited to perform in major international venues and music festivals including the Konzerthaus Berlin, Herkulessaal Munich, Rudolfinum/Dvorak Hall and Smetana Hall Prague, Seoul Arts Center, Lotte Concert Hall, Marvão Music Festival, Napa Valley Festival, Klavier Festival Ruhr, Korean Orchestra Festival, Cesky Krumlov Festival, Prague Spring Festival, and Kotor Arts Festival, among others. In 2013, Kim made her major label debut with her recording of Rachmaninoff’s first and second Piano Concerti with the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra led by Eduard Topchjan on Sony Classical.

As a chamber musician, Kim was appointed resident pianist of Salastina Music Society. She has collaborated with renowned musicians such as Clive Greensmith, Martin Beaver, Magaret Batjer, Fabio Bidni, and Isang Enders. As a devoted educator, Kim joined the faculty of the Colburn Community School of Performing Arts and Colburn pre-college division, and is the Program director of the pre-college program at Orange County Music & Dance. Furthermore, she serves on faculty at the Colburn Virtual Piano Seminar and OC Steinway Piano Festival in the summer, and she has given masterclasses regularly at the Seoul Central Conservatory, Hope College in Michigan, Trinity Academy, and OC Music & Dance. 

An appreciative recipient of generous support by the Amron-Sutherland Grant for Young Pianists from the Colburn School, Kim received her Artist Diploma at the Colburn School and holds her Master of Art in Music and Konzertexamen (highest distinction) from Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler under the guidance of Fabio Bidini.