Korean-American pianist IRENE KIM has been praised for her "vitality and charm" and "authoritative inevitability" by the Peninsula Review and her "superior technique and delicate sensibility" by the Korea Times. Her performances have been heard across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australasia in recitals, chamber ensembles, and as a soloist with Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra, Washington Youth Orchestra, Los Angeles Korean Chamber Orchestra, Rio Hondo Symphony, Southwestern Youth Music Festival Orchestra, and Young Musicians Foundation Orchestra.
Her work with Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra as an Artistic Team member has led to collaborations with the greater Los Angeles community, performing at homeless shelters, transitional housing facilities, Title I schools, children's hospitals, and retirement centers. With Kaleidoscope, she accomplished the rare feat of performing Prokofiev's Third Piano Concerto without a conductor.
Having garnered the Franz Liszt First Prize in the Liszt-Garrison International Young Artist competition and top prizes in the Carmel Music Society, Korean Concert Society, Yale Gordon Concerto, and Russell C. Wonderlic competitions amongst others, she gave subsequent performances at venues such as the Kennedy Center, Wilshire Ebell Theatre, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Centro Cultural del Antiguo Instituto, Luckman Theatre, and the Library of Congress. Irene has also made appearances at the LAPhil's Noon to Midnight, Banff Centre for the Arts Festival, Gijón International Piano Festival, Piano Festival Northwest, Columbia Chalice Concert Series, An die Musik LIVE, American Liszt Society Conferences, and as a member of the Young Artists Guild.
As a musician of curiosity, Irene has collaborated extensively, most notably with vocalists, cellists, violinists, and percussionists. She tours frequently with violinist Benjamin Hoffman as brightfeather, appearing in recitals from Malaysia to Italy to enthusiastic audiences. Continuously piqued by the music and art of her contemporary surroundings, she has recently taken on projects with living composers, premiering works, and collaborating with visual artists and dancers. Irene’s other interests have led her to train as a conductor and also as a piano technician assistant at the Peabody Institute. She completed an internship at the Washington National Opera and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Taking after her architect father, Irene is thoroughly interested in the acoustical designs of theatres and music halls.
Irene was born and raised in Los Angeles and began musical studies at age three with her mother. By age five, she was accepted into the distinguished and influential studio of Dr. Ick-Choo and Hae-Young Moon, where her formative training was established. At age eight, she made her orchestral debut with the Young Musicians Foundation Orchestra.
Irene’s professional training has been centered at the Peabody Conservatory, where she received her Doctorate in Musical Arts. She was awarded the Albert and Rosa Silverman Memorial Scholarship, the Lillian Gutman Memorial Piano Prize, and Clara Ascherfeld Award by the Conservatory for her musical endeavors during her studies there. Her mentors and teachers, Marian Hahn and Boris Slutsky, have been infinitely inspiring in the impartation of their passion for the art of musicianship.
In the course of her musical erudition, she also has had the honor to work with various distinguished musicians, including Leon Fleisher, Anton Kuerti, Robert McDonald, Ani Kavafian, Alexander Toradze, Robert Van Sice, and Ransom Wilson amongst others.
Irene is an avid believer that the arts are a manifestation of humanity and its creativity and aspires to let music travel to where its resounding compassion is much needed.
Her work with Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra as an Artistic Team member has led to collaborations with the greater Los Angeles community, performing at homeless shelters, transitional housing facilities, Title I schools, children's hospitals, and retirement centers. With Kaleidoscope, she accomplished the rare feat of performing Prokofiev's Third Piano Concerto without a conductor.
Having garnered the Franz Liszt First Prize in the Liszt-Garrison International Young Artist competition and top prizes in the Carmel Music Society, Korean Concert Society, Yale Gordon Concerto, and Russell C. Wonderlic competitions amongst others, she gave subsequent performances at venues such as the Kennedy Center, Wilshire Ebell Theatre, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Centro Cultural del Antiguo Instituto, Luckman Theatre, and the Library of Congress. Irene has also made appearances at the LAPhil's Noon to Midnight, Banff Centre for the Arts Festival, Gijón International Piano Festival, Piano Festival Northwest, Columbia Chalice Concert Series, An die Musik LIVE, American Liszt Society Conferences, and as a member of the Young Artists Guild.
As a musician of curiosity, Irene has collaborated extensively, most notably with vocalists, cellists, violinists, and percussionists. She tours frequently with violinist Benjamin Hoffman as brightfeather, appearing in recitals from Malaysia to Italy to enthusiastic audiences. Continuously piqued by the music and art of her contemporary surroundings, she has recently taken on projects with living composers, premiering works, and collaborating with visual artists and dancers. Irene’s other interests have led her to train as a conductor and also as a piano technician assistant at the Peabody Institute. She completed an internship at the Washington National Opera and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Taking after her architect father, Irene is thoroughly interested in the acoustical designs of theatres and music halls.
Irene was born and raised in Los Angeles and began musical studies at age three with her mother. By age five, she was accepted into the distinguished and influential studio of Dr. Ick-Choo and Hae-Young Moon, where her formative training was established. At age eight, she made her orchestral debut with the Young Musicians Foundation Orchestra.
Irene’s professional training has been centered at the Peabody Conservatory, where she received her Doctorate in Musical Arts. She was awarded the Albert and Rosa Silverman Memorial Scholarship, the Lillian Gutman Memorial Piano Prize, and Clara Ascherfeld Award by the Conservatory for her musical endeavors during her studies there. Her mentors and teachers, Marian Hahn and Boris Slutsky, have been infinitely inspiring in the impartation of their passion for the art of musicianship.
In the course of her musical erudition, she also has had the honor to work with various distinguished musicians, including Leon Fleisher, Anton Kuerti, Robert McDonald, Ani Kavafian, Alexander Toradze, Robert Van Sice, and Ransom Wilson amongst others.
Irene is an avid believer that the arts are a manifestation of humanity and its creativity and aspires to let music travel to where its resounding compassion is much needed.