Chris Kim's passion and dedication for the piano manifests in his music. Even though he began piano during his childhood years, many difficulties in life forced him to stop many times. He started his formal studies at the age of 23, considered a very late start for a musical career.  Despite these challenges Kim's music has been described as “the most colorful and sophisticated playing".

 

Mr. Chris Kim initially studied Computer Science and Psychology at the University of California, Irvine. However, the persistent yearning for music led him to pursue and invest fully in the study of piano. 

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In 2009, Mr. Chris Kim attended the Colburn School and received the Rose Hills Foundation Scholar Award. In 2013, he earned his Master of Music in Piano Performance from Indiana University, Jacobs School of Music. During the several years of study,  Kim became a recipient of the Music Merit Award and Educational Opportunity Fellowship. At IU, he studied mainly with the world renowned performer and educator Arnaldo Cohen. Kim’s musicianship then continued to mature through private study and masterclasse with artists including John Perry, Mina Perry, Logan Skelton, Eveyln Brancart, Jean-Louis Haguenauer, Jerome Rose, and Murray Perahia.

 

In the following years, Mr. Kim earned an Artist Diploma from the University of Denver, where he studied under Dr. Steven Mayer. In 2015 he won the school's prestigious Concerto Competition, performing Saint-Saëns’ Second Concerto with the Lamont Symphony Orchestra at the Newman Center’s Gates Concert Hall. Soon after, he was profiled in Expressions and Lamont Lyric magazines.  That same year, Kim performed at Carnegie Hall after winning 1st prize of the New York Artists International Competition.

 

Kim’s vast accomplishments also extend to his teaching, where his lesson has been described as "a different way of approaching music with deeper interpretation that teaches the connection of life and music as one". As a result Mr. Kim's students have won a number of national and international competitions such as the CSMTA Concerto Competitions, Kiwanis Star of Tomorrow, Kawai Piano Competition, Steinway Concerto Competitions, MTAC competitions, and most recently the Broomfield Symphony Orchestra Concerto competition. This had created many opportunities for his students to perform with various orchestras and play at famous venues including the Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Kim’s passion for music and teaching had also encouraged and inspired numerous students to start their careers in music by pursuing a major/ minor degree in music. 

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Mr. Kim currently resides in the San Diego area where he is a director and instructor at the San Diego Music Academy.