Young-Whun Kim / Piano

A native of Seoul, South Korea, Young Whun Kim is a highly accomplished pianist with a successful career as a soloist, chamber musician, and collaborative pianist in both the United States and South Korea. He began his piano studies at the age of 7 and earned his Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance from Seoul National University in South Korea, studying under the tutelage of Kwi-Hyun Kim and Sung-Kyun Lee.

In 2008, Kim moved to the United States to pursue graduate studies at the Jacobs
School of Music at Indiana University. During his time there, he served as an Associate Instructor for the Piano Division, teaching group piano classes and private lessons for undergraduate non-performance piano majors, while studying with Shigeo Neriki. He received his Master of Music and Performer’s Diploma in piano performance in 2010. Currently, Kim is pursuing his Doctor of Musical Arts in piano performance and literature at the University of Illinois, where he is studying with Ian Hobson and Timothy Ehlen. In addition, he has studied collaborative piano with Dennis Helmrich and harpsichord with Elisabeth Wright.

​As a devoted collaborative pianist and chamber musician, Kim has performed in various vocal recitals and chamber music concerts. He has also participated in numerous guest artist recitals at DePaul University, Ball State University, Butler University, and Grand Valley State University. Kim has worked with renowned musicians such as Janos Starker, Mark Kaplan, Ik-Hwan Bae, and Teresa Kubiak as a studio pianist. He has also participated in numerous chamber music masterclasses with world-class musicians such as Gil Shaham, Janos Starker, and Renee Fleming. Additionally, he has served as an opera coach in the Chamber Opera Association in Seoul, South Korea. Kim's recent accomplishments include winning the UISO Concerto Competition, where he performed Brahms’ Piano Concerto No.1 in D minor with the University of Illinois Symphony Orchestra. He has also performed Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy Op. 80 with Kankakee Valley Symphony Orchestra and served as a judge for the Midwest National Chamber Music Competition.

In 2020, Kim encountered a setback when he injured his left hand while preparing for a recital. However, he saw this as an opportunity to expand his horizons and gain new skills in conducting, audio engineering, and video editing. He even took on the role of conductor for both community choir and church choir, showcasing his expanded musicianship. After undergoing surgery to repair his injured hand, Kim has recently recovered and started performing again with his exceptional talent, passion, and dedication to music.