ABOUT
Kim "gave the audience a rich sampling of his versatility. Kim has an expressive temperament: his playing is irresistibly dynamic and colorful. The [program] revealed Kim's sure ear, clean articulation, and maturity of interpretation." — CASA Magazine
Violinist Dr. Han Soo Kim is an internationally recognized artist who has performed to critical acclaim in numerous countries across four continents. Praised for his passion, sensitivity, and charisma, his playing has been described as "a musical gift of rare beauty." — The Korea Times He performs a broad range of repertoire spanning the standard violin literature and avant-garde contemporary works.
Dr. Kim has performed extensively as a soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician. In the United States, he has appeared in many of the nation’s most distinguished venues, including Alice Tully Hall, Boston Symphony Hall, David Geffen Hall, Isaac Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, Jordan Hall, and The Kennedy Center. His performances have also taken him to leading institutions and festivals, including Académie Internationale de Courchevel, Boston Conservatory, Boston University, Columbia University, Le Domaine Forget International Music Festival, The Juilliard School, Longy School of Music, Manhattan School of Music, Mannes College, Meadowmount School of Music, Morningside Music Bridge, Musicorda, Music Academy of the West, New England Conservatory, and Yale University. As a soloist, he has appeared with orchestras throughout the United States and abroad, performing repertoire ranging from the major concerto literature to world premieres of contemporary works. A Promessa Records Artist, he released a solo recording featuring a collection of encores and virtuosic showpieces. His most recent recording on the Spice Classics label features works by Elgar and Schumann.
Dedicated to mentoring the next generation of musicians, Dr. Kim is an active educator who presents masterclasses, clinics, lectures, and workshops throughout the United States and internationally, with a focus on violin technique, innovative practice strategies, and performance. He maintains an active international schedule of performances, recordings, and educational residencies. He has served as Chair of Adjudicators for the New York International Music Competition and as a teaching artist at the InterHarmony International Music Festival in Italy. At Westmont College, he serves as Head of Strings, where he teaches alongside his wife, clarinetist Joanne Kim. He is also the founder of the Westmont Academy for Young Artists and Westmont Music Academy.
Dr. Kim earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in violin performance under a fellowship grant. He received both the Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from The Juilliard School, where he was awarded a merit scholarship. His principal teachers and mentors include Roman Totenberg, Sally Thomas, and Pamela Frank. He has also worked with members of the Emerson, Guarneri, Juilliard, and Orion String Quartets.
Dr. Kim is a Bella Rosins Artist and performs on a 1721 Carlo Antonio Testore violin. His recordings are available through the Westmont College Bookstore and at hanjoannekim.com.
Outside of music, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Joanne, and their sons, Kian and Rowan, along with their dog, Dolce. He also enjoys discovering new restaurants in Santa Barbara, gardening, and listening to music.
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Dr. Joanne Kim is a clarinetist, educator, and chamber musician based in Santa Barbara, California. She has performed as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral musician at renowned venues including Carnegie Hall, David Geffen Hall, Roy Thomson Hall, the Granada Theatre, the Dolby Theatre, and the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall.
Her performing career began in her late teens when she was awarded the prestigious Stamas Scholarship Fund from the New York Philharmonic. As part of the award, she received a professional clarinet personally selected by the orchestra's Principal Clarinetist to support her studies and performances in New York City.
Dr. Kim earned her Doctor of Musical Arts in Clarinet Performance from the Manhattan School of Music as a fellowship recipient, where she studied with Mark Nuccio. She also holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Mannes College and a Master of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music's Orchestral Performance Program, where she was awarded a merit scholarship.
She has performed with ensembles including the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Korean Chamber Orchestra, New Jersey Philharmonic Orchestra, Pacific Symphony, Pasadena Symphony, Santa Barbara Symphony, and Los Angeles Ballet.
In addition to her performing career, Dr. Kim serves as Director of Westmont Music Academy, the community music school within the Westmont College Music Department. She also maintains a private studio in Santa Barbara and Ventura and serves on the clarinet faculty at Westmont College and Santa Barbara City College.
Dr. Kim frequently performs with her husband, violinist Dr. Han Soo Kim. In 2026, they will be featured on the Spice Classics album Romances alongside pianist Constantine Finehouse. Recorded in Hahn Hall at the Music Academy of the West, the album features works by Robert Schumann, Clara Schumann, and Marie Elisabeth von Sachsen-Meiningen.