GUADAGNINI VIOLIN SHOP

“Dear Chun-yee,
Thank you so much for the great work for my baby!”
—Eric Kim

Professor of Cello, Indiana University  

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Biography of Eric Kim

Eric Kim has a divese career peforming throughout the United States, Europe, South America, and Middle and Far East as a recitalist, chamber musician, and soloist with orchestra.

Having made his solo debut at age fifteen with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Kim was a featured soloist with the Juilliard Orchestra on its critically acclaimed tour of the Far East, and has appeared as soloist with the Cincinnati, and San Diego Symphony Orchestra. Kim has collaborated with such conductors as Zubin Mehta, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, Paavo Jarvi, Jesus Lopez-Cobos, Sergiu Comissiona, and Lawrence Foster, and has appeared in recital in the cities of New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. He served as Principal Cello of the Cincinnati Symphony from 1989-2009, and has also held Principal Cello positions with the San Diego Symphony.

Active as a chamber musician, Kim has performed with such artists as Emmanuael Ax, Joshua Bell, Yefim Bronfman, Susan Graham, Lynn Harrell, Stephen Hough, Jaime Laredo and Menachem Pressler, as well as collaborating with members of the Emerson, Guarneri and Orion string quartets. At the invitation of violinist Pinchas Zukerman, he performed with Mr. Zukerman at the festivals of Athens (Greece), Mostly Mozart (NY), Schleswig-Hostein (Germany), and Verbier (Switzerland). He has also participated in several tours with Mr. Zukerman to South America and Israel as member of the "Pinchas Zukerman and Friends" chamber ensemble. Highlights include chamber music debuts at Carnegie Hall, Boston's Symphony Hall, and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts performing both Brahms Sextets with Itzhak Perlman, Pinchas Zukerman, and Michael Tree, among others. Mr. Kim can also be heard at the festivals of Angel Fire (New Mexico), Aspen, Bravo! Colorado (Vail), LaJolla, and Santa Fe, and Savannah. Mr. Kim has also made several recordings for the RCA, EMI, Telarc, and Koch labels.

Kim joined the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music faculty at the beginning the 2009-2010 academic year. As a teacher, he has students in major orchestras throughout the world. He is a regular teacher and performer at the Aspen Music Festival and School as well as the Music Masters Course in Japan program held in Kasuza, Yokohama, and Tokyo. Kim also regularly appears at the New World Symphony in Miami Beach coaching the next generation of symphonic cellists.

Born of Korean parents in New York City, Kim grew up in Illinois, where he began piano studies with his mother at age five. At age 10, he began cello studies with Tanya L. Carey.

He received his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Juilliard School, where he studied with Leonard Rose, Lynn Harrell, and Channing Robbins. Upon graduation, Kim received the first William Schuman Prize, awarded for outstanding leadership and achievement in music.