Soovin Kim
Encyclopedia
Soovin Kim is an Korean-American violinist.
Kim was born in Iowa City, IA on April 10, 1976 to South Korean parents who had met and married in their native country then moved to the U.S. together. When Soovin was 2, any hopes he may have harbored to join his fellow Iowans on a certain path to hog farming were dashed on the rocks of reality as his family moved to Chicago
. Two years later his brother Marvin was born. Though no member of Soovin’s family was involved in music (Mom’s a registered dietician, Dad’s a communications professor), young Soovin and his mom loved to listen to classical violin recordings at home. Soon Soovin asked for violin lessons, as had his buddy, Jennifer Koh and a number of his other friends around the same time. His wish came true when his parents enrolled him in a local Suzuki
class. The diminutive Soovin distinguished himself not only for developing a rabid lust for the Twinkies that were served as post-class snacks but, more importantly, for taking to the violin like a duck to water. He thrived under the devoted tutelage of Suzuki instructor William Fuhrburg. Soovin was greatly inspired by Fuhrburg, with whom he studied from ages 6 to 9.
Soovin’s enthusiasms in grade school also extended to competitive swimming and especially chess, which he learned from his first-grade teacher, a chess master. Soovin entertained the idea of striving to become a chess champion, but fate stepped in once again as the family moved to upstate New York in 1985. Away from his chess teacher, Soovin’s focus returned to the violin. He attended public schools while studying the violin privately, traveling to Montreal
weekly to work with the concertmaster of the Montreal Symphony, Richard Roberts. At ages 13 and 14 Soovin himself served as concertmaster of the World Youth Orchestra at Michigan’s National Music Camp at Interlochen. Both summers Itzhak Perlman
was soloist with the Orchestra, and it was during this time that Soovin decided he wanted to be a professional violinist.
At 15 Soovin was chosen by the prestigious Cleveland Institute of Music
to enroll in their young artists program. He studied at the Institute four years with teachers Donald Weilerstein and David Cerone. Soovin spent his summers at Cerone’s legendary Encore School for Strings
in Hudson, OH. The Encore School is recognized as the pre-eminent American summer school for serious string players; among the School’s students aside from Soovin were Hilary Hahn
, Leila Josefowitz, Zuill Bailey
and many others.
1995 was a pivotal time for Soovin Kim, who transferred from the Cleveland Institute to the Curtis Institute of Music
that year. Curtis, located in a welcoming old mansion in Philadelphia, creates an intimate atmosphere which fosters a warm familial community among students and faculty which lasts a lifetime. Soovin’s teachers at Curtis were Jaime Laredo and Victor Danchenko. Soovin was well known at Curtis not only because he and first-year roommate and close friend Dennis Kim polished off 350 pounds of rice lovingly prepared in their very own rice cooker that year, but because in 1996, at the age of 20, Soovin went off to Genoa and came back the winner of the Paganini Competition
. One of the most fiendishly difficult and highly regarded professional gauntlets in the classical music world, the Paganini Competition is a life-changing experience for the few who win it. The following year, when he also won the Henryk Szeryng Career Award, Soovin’s professional life began in earnest, with representation by managers on three continents.
Soovin spent his first summer at the Marlboro Festival just after he won the Paganini prize in 1996. Founded decades ago by Rudolf Serkin
and Adolf Busch
, Marlboro is intended to be a true retreat for the artists who are invited to participate. Unlike the harried pace of the concert season, time at Marlboro moves lazily, allowing players to study and reflect on the music they prepare for weekly concerts. “It’s summer camp for adults!”, reports Soovin, who now returns to Marlboro every other summer to see old friends and indulge in the pleasure of playing music without the pressure of his normal frantic schedule. Aside from its manifest musical benefits, Marlboro holds a special place in Soovin’s affections because it is where he met both his favorite performing and recording partner, pianist Jeremy Denk
, and his wife Joanne.
By the time Soovin graduated from the Curtis Institute in 1999, he had launched his career and formed a plethora of enduring personal and musical friendships. He recently did a U.S. tour (octets of Mendelssohn
and Bolcom; quartets of Salonen and Bermel
) with the Guarneri Quartet
and the Johannes Quartet (of which he is first violinist) - a tour which was particularly jolly because all eight players were Curtis alumni.
Soovin ultimately moved to New York
, married Joanne in 2005, and now conducts an energetic international career from Gotham. He frequently appears in Korea, both as soloist and as a member of the piano quartet MIK, which performs both standard repertoire and newly-commissioned works. Another of his favorite things to do is tour with fellow winners of the Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award, which he won in 2005. Sandwiched between concert dates and recording projects (his fifth CD, music of Fauré and Chausson recorded with Jeremy Denk
and the Jupiter Quartet, will be released in mid-2008), Soovin loves to play golf, teach his students at SUNY Stony Brook, and prowl around New York with Joanne in search of great films and the perfect meal.
Kim was born in Iowa City, IA on April 10, 1976 to South Korean parents who had met and married in their native country then moved to the U.S. together. When Soovin was 2, any hopes he may have harbored to join his fellow Iowans on a certain path to hog farming were dashed on the rocks of reality as his family moved to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. Two years later his brother Marvin was born. Though no member of Soovin’s family was involved in music (Mom’s a registered dietician, Dad’s a communications professor), young Soovin and his mom loved to listen to classical violin recordings at home. Soon Soovin asked for violin lessons, as had his buddy, Jennifer Koh and a number of his other friends around the same time. His wish came true when his parents enrolled him in a local Suzuki
Suzuki method
The Suzuki method is a method of teaching music that emerged in the mid-20th century.-Background:The Suzuki Method was conceived in the mid-20th century by Shin'ichi Suzuki, a Japanese violinist who desired to bring beauty to the lives of children in his country after the devastation of World War II...
class. The diminutive Soovin distinguished himself not only for developing a rabid lust for the Twinkies that were served as post-class snacks but, more importantly, for taking to the violin like a duck to water. He thrived under the devoted tutelage of Suzuki instructor William Fuhrburg. Soovin was greatly inspired by Fuhrburg, with whom he studied from ages 6 to 9.
Soovin’s enthusiasms in grade school also extended to competitive swimming and especially chess, which he learned from his first-grade teacher, a chess master. Soovin entertained the idea of striving to become a chess champion, but fate stepped in once again as the family moved to upstate New York in 1985. Away from his chess teacher, Soovin’s focus returned to the violin. He attended public schools while studying the violin privately, traveling to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
weekly to work with the concertmaster of the Montreal Symphony, Richard Roberts. At ages 13 and 14 Soovin himself served as concertmaster of the World Youth Orchestra at Michigan’s National Music Camp at Interlochen. Both summers Itzhak Perlman
Itzhak Perlman
Itzhak Perlman is an Israeli-born violinist, conductor, and instructor of master classes. He is regarded as one of the pre-eminent violinists of the 20th and early-21st centuries.-Early life:...
was soloist with the Orchestra, and it was during this time that Soovin decided he wanted to be a professional violinist.
At 15 Soovin was chosen by the prestigious Cleveland Institute of Music
Cleveland Institute of Music
The Cleveland Institute of Music is an independent music conservatory located in the University Circle district of Cleveland, Ohio, United States and is overseen by president Joel Smirnoff and Adrian Daly, dean....
to enroll in their young artists program. He studied at the Institute four years with teachers Donald Weilerstein and David Cerone. Soovin spent his summers at Cerone’s legendary Encore School for Strings
Encore School for Strings
Encore School for Strings, founded in 1985 by David and Linda Cerone, was the summer session of the Cleveland Institute of Music. It was located in Hudson, Ohio at the Western Reserve Academy. Encore had no minimum age requirement, though a taped audition was used to screen applicants. The music...
in Hudson, OH. The Encore School is recognized as the pre-eminent American summer school for serious string players; among the School’s students aside from Soovin were Hilary Hahn
Hilary Hahn
Hilary Hahn is an American violinist.Hahn was born in Lexington, Virginia. Beginning her studies when she was three years old at Baltimore's Peabody Institute, she was admitted to the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia at age ten, and in 1991, made her major orchestral debut with the...
, Leila Josefowitz, Zuill Bailey
Zuill Bailey
Zuill Bailey , Alexandria, Virginia, is an American cellist. A Juilliard graduate, he has appeared with a number of major orchestras internationally, and has an exclusive international recording contract with the Telarc label...
and many others.
1995 was a pivotal time for Soovin Kim, who transferred from the Cleveland Institute to the Curtis Institute of Music
Curtis Institute of Music
The Curtis Institute of Music is a conservatory in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that offers courses of study leading to a performance Diploma, Bachelor of Music, Master of Music in Opera, and Professional Studies Certificate in Opera. According to statistics compiled by U.S...
that year. Curtis, located in a welcoming old mansion in Philadelphia, creates an intimate atmosphere which fosters a warm familial community among students and faculty which lasts a lifetime. Soovin’s teachers at Curtis were Jaime Laredo and Victor Danchenko. Soovin was well known at Curtis not only because he and first-year roommate and close friend Dennis Kim polished off 350 pounds of rice lovingly prepared in their very own rice cooker that year, but because in 1996, at the age of 20, Soovin went off to Genoa and came back the winner of the Paganini Competition
Paganini Competition
The Paganini Competition is an international violin competition named after the famed virtuoso and founder of contemporary violin technique Niccolò Paganini. Created in 1954 it has been carried out ever since in the months of September and October. The "Paganini Competition" is one of the most...
. One of the most fiendishly difficult and highly regarded professional gauntlets in the classical music world, the Paganini Competition is a life-changing experience for the few who win it. The following year, when he also won the Henryk Szeryng Career Award, Soovin’s professional life began in earnest, with representation by managers on three continents.
Soovin spent his first summer at the Marlboro Festival just after he won the Paganini prize in 1996. Founded decades ago by Rudolf Serkin
Rudolf Serkin
Rudolf Serkin , was a Bohemian-born pianist.-Life and early career:Serkin was born in Eger, Bohemia, Austro-Hungarian Empire to a Russian-Jewish family....
and Adolf Busch
Adolf Busch
Adolf Georg Wilhelm Busch was a German-born violinist and composer.Busch was born in Siegen in Westphalia. He studied at the Cologne Conservatory with Willy Hess and Bram Eldering...
, Marlboro is intended to be a true retreat for the artists who are invited to participate. Unlike the harried pace of the concert season, time at Marlboro moves lazily, allowing players to study and reflect on the music they prepare for weekly concerts. “It’s summer camp for adults!”, reports Soovin, who now returns to Marlboro every other summer to see old friends and indulge in the pleasure of playing music without the pressure of his normal frantic schedule. Aside from its manifest musical benefits, Marlboro holds a special place in Soovin’s affections because it is where he met both his favorite performing and recording partner, pianist Jeremy Denk
Jeremy Denk
Jeremy Denk is an American classical pianist. He has performed with numerous orchestras and presented world premieres by Jake Heggie, Libby Larsen, Kevin Puts, and Ned Rorem. He frequently performs with violinists Joshua Bell and Soovin Kim. He has recorded several chamber works as well as a solo...
, and his wife Joanne.
By the time Soovin graduated from the Curtis Institute in 1999, he had launched his career and formed a plethora of enduring personal and musical friendships. He recently did a U.S. tour (octets of Mendelssohn
Mendelssohn
Mendelson is a Polish/German Jewish family name, meaning "son of Mendel", Mendel being a Yiddish diminutive of the Hebrew given name Menahem, meaning "consoling" or "one who consoles".Mendelssohn is the surname of a number of people:...
and Bolcom; quartets of Salonen and Bermel
Bermel
Bermel is a municipality in the district of Mayen-Koblenz in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany....
) with the Guarneri Quartet
Guarneri Quartet
The Guarneri Quartet was an American string quartet founded in 1964 at the Marlboro Music School and Festival. During the quartet's early years the members were in residence at Harpur College in upstate New York....
and the Johannes Quartet (of which he is first violinist) - a tour which was particularly jolly because all eight players were Curtis alumni.
Soovin ultimately moved to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, married Joanne in 2005, and now conducts an energetic international career from Gotham. He frequently appears in Korea, both as soloist and as a member of the piano quartet MIK, which performs both standard repertoire and newly-commissioned works. Another of his favorite things to do is tour with fellow winners of the Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award, which he won in 2005. Sandwiched between concert dates and recording projects (his fifth CD, music of Fauré and Chausson recorded with Jeremy Denk
Jeremy Denk
Jeremy Denk is an American classical pianist. He has performed with numerous orchestras and presented world premieres by Jake Heggie, Libby Larsen, Kevin Puts, and Ned Rorem. He frequently performs with violinists Joshua Bell and Soovin Kim. He has recorded several chamber works as well as a solo...
and the Jupiter Quartet, will be released in mid-2008), Soovin loves to play golf, teach his students at SUNY Stony Brook, and prowl around New York with Joanne in search of great films and the perfect meal.