We’re looking forward to our summer festival! Over the next few weeks, we’ll introduce each artist performing in our 36th season. Violinist Kyu-Young Kim will play on July 24th, 26th, and 28th.
Kim, principal violinist of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, returns to Kingston for his second season with KCMF! A former member of the Pacifica String Quartet, Kim won the Naumburg Chamber Music Award. He was also a founding member of the Daedalus Quartet, with whom he won the Grand Prize at the 2001 Banff International String Quartet Competition.
Kim will bring his “flawless musical and technical command” (Chicago Tribune) to a range of repertoire: from Robert Schumann’s Piano Quintet in E-flat Major, Op.44 to Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s Quintet for Guitar and String Quartet. Of the latter, Dr. James Wells writes: “Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s Quintet is large and broad in its scope of musical themes and sentences, yet approachable and gentle. The composer has a keen ability to provide the listener with digestible sections within each movement, filled with clear statements and quick transitions. Although the Quintet does not shout or scream for attention, the listener is always focused by the thematic pacing. The development of the movements are thematic, but peppered with unexpected, subtle pauses and simple climaxes, leading into the next section of the movement.”
Get to know Kyu-Young!
Q. How do you handle nerves before performing?
A. I have a tendency to get obsessive and in my head for big concerts, so I try to just treat a performance day like a normal day and make sure I eat well and sleep well. One of the nice things about being in a professional orchestra is that you’re performing multiple times a week which is so different from when you’re a student. My advice to students who have problems with nerves is to create as many performance opportunities as possible, such as nursing homes or just playing for peers or family. And be kind to yourself. Everyone gets nervous and everyone figures out different ways to deal with it. It’s not one size fits all.
What’s at the top of your bucket list?
Going to the World Cup finals with my family. My kids are big into soccer and we’ve all caught the bug now.
What do you always bring with you when you travel?
A softball for massaging all the knots that you get from playing the violin!
What are the top three songs on your personal playlist?
Josef Gingold playing Kreisler
Zhu Xiao-Mei playing Bach Goldberg Variations
Imogen Heap’s “Hide and Seek”
Favorite quote/personal life motto:
Happy wife, happy life.
What is a little known fact about you?
I played trombone in my middle school band for one year. I was terrible!
Best advice you have ever received:
Be kind, not cool (from Abel Selaocoe)
What’s your favorite type of food?
Korean food, of course!
What piece of music never fails to move you?
Beethoven Heiliger Dankgesang from Op. 132
