Lauded by The New York Times for his “admirable purity of tone and accuracy,” James Kim has appeared as soloist with the Boston Symphony, Royal Philharmonic, Wallonie Royal Chamber, and Juilliard Orchestras working with conductors such as David Zinman, Michael Sanderling, Alexander Shelley, Keith Lockhart, Frank Braley, Tan Dun, Julian Kovatchev, and Benjamin Zander onstage at Carnegie Stern Auditorium, Boston Symphony Hall, Jordan Hall, and Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Kim has given solo recitals at Carnegie Weill Hall, Seoul Arts Center IBK Hall, Midday Masterpieces Series at the Greene Space, McGraw Hill Young Artist Showcase hosted by Robert Sherman, Beautiful Thursday Series at Kumho Art Hall, Garden City Chamber Music Series curated by Bruce Adolphe, James Kim with Friends at Music Space Camerata Paju, Tuesday Series at Seoul National University, and Faculty Artist Series at the Performing Arts Center of University of Georgia. His performances have been broadcasted on radio stations NPR and WQXR.
His Carnegie Weill Hall debut in 2013 garnered praise from Harris Goldsmith of New York Concert Review:
“There are debuts and debuts: the blood bank of human endeavor is forever bringing new musical talent to the fore. But I daresay, the recital of a 19-year-old cellist at Weill Hall on February 3rd was more than merely excellent, it was an historical coming of a fully honed master virtuoso; one is compelled to formulate new standards for the golden instrument. But all of this foregoing is commonplace: after a few astonishing and beautifully tapered, long spun phrases of Schubert’s ‘Arpeggione’ Sonata, D. 821, this astonished and experienced connoisseur realized that James Kim is a miracle. Never mind my hyperbole; the absolute perfection of his playing, technically, musically and, had me recalling Casals, Fournier, Rostropovich and Tortelier (of a very different school) but likewise, Feuermann, Yo-Yo-Ma, Miklós Perényi, Heifetz (of a closely analogous virtuoso persuasion), and of course Kim’s mentors, Starker and Parisot. Never before, have I encountered such winged ease, such airborne joy, such silken smooth bowing and tone production. All of these facets were present at the service of stylistic knowledge, bracing rhythmic thrust and most importantly, an inviting warmth and modest honesty.”
His interpretation of Shostakovich’s First Cello Concerto on his debut at Carnegie Stern Auditorium with David Zinman and The Juilliard Orchestra in 2015 was also met with praise:
“. . . Instead, Mr. Kim was deft, thunderous when needed, and in that extraordinary polyphonic cadenza, he did something rare. Yes, it was performed without a hitch, it was transparent, vital, lyrical. But Mr. Kim never seemed to find its agonizing difficulty. He never sculpted out its passions. Rather, he played that cadenza with a brooding, sensitive, exceptional expression. With Mr. Zinman directing the complex orchestral part behind him, it was a noble and memorable performance” (Harry Rolnick, ConcertoNet).
In his native Korea, Kim has performed concertos with Daegu, Korean, Gwacheon, and S.O.N.G. Symphonies; Incheon, Daejeon, Goyang, and Wonju Philharmonics; and TIMF and KBS orchestras, engagements which have brought him to Seoul Arts Center, Tongyeong Concert Hall, Daegu Concert House, DITTO Festival, and Lotte Concert Hall, where he is the first soloist in its history. A champion of the music by Shinuh Lee, Kim premiered her Cello Concerto in 2021 and released Death and Offering , an album of her works dedicated to him, through Sony Classical in the same year. In 2023, he presented that program in recital at Seoul Arts Center. Other collaborations include Sejong Soloists, with whom he has toured performing J.S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations arranged for string trio by Dmitry Sitkovetsky on numerous occasions. He has also served as guest principal cellist of Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. He is represented in Korea by Music & Art Company.
Winner of the 2006 David Popper International Cello Competition and 2012 Salon de Virtuosi’s Sony Career Grant, Kim is a laureate of the 2015 Isang Yun International Cello Competition and 2024 Naumburg International Cello Competition. From 2016 to 2021, Kim performed on a Matteo Goffriller cello from Venice ca. 1715, generously loaned by Samsung Cultural Foundation and Stradivari Society® of Chicago, Illinois. In 2025, he joined pianist Liza Stepanova and violinist Itamar Zorman as a member of the Lysander Piano Trio.
Under his tutelage, Kim’s private students have won top prizes at major international cello competitions, including the Geneva, Isang Yun, Georges Enescu, and David Popper. He regularly gives guest lectures at Seoul National University’s College of Music. His co-edition with Daniel Morganstern of the Locatelli Sonata in D Major for cello, published by International Music Company in 2020, provides his technical guidance in its preface. He holds an Artist Diploma from The Juilliard School and a Doctor of Musical Arts from Manhattan School of Music. His former teachers include Susan Moses, János Starker, Laurence Lesser, Aldo Parisot, Joel Krosnick, and Philippe Muller. Kim currently serves as Assistant Professor of Cello at University of Georgia’s Hugh Hodgson School of Music.
