Daejin Kim – Chopin: Ballades, Poulenc: Nocturnes (2001)

DAEJIN KIM has emerged as one of the most leading pianist and pedagogue in Korea. In 1985, he won the first prize in the prestigious 6th Robert Casadesus International Piano Competition (presently, the Cleveland Competition). In 1986, Mr.Kim made his New York debut and received an exceptionally favorable review from the critic for the New York Times who wrote that "Daejin Kim demonstrated all the accouterments necessary for a successful solo career. Since then, his international career has taken him to major concert halls throughout the world. In 1987, he was invited to perform with the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra and since then his international career has taken him to major concert halls in Europe, Asia and the United States.
In 1994, Mr.Kim and his family moved to Korea and he has became a leading example of that rare individual who is able to successfully combine the demanding careers of a concert artist and the most productive teacher. His master classes have drawn international recognition and at the same time, he has been able to maintain a full schedule of performances such as a historical one-day performance of the complete Beethoven's Piano Concertos(2001) and the complete cycle of the Mozart Piano Concertos(2002-2004). His discography includes ‘4 Ballades by Chopin’, ‘the Complete Nocturnes by John Field and Chopin’ and ‘2 Piano Concertos by Mozart(K.488 & K.453) which he conducted the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra from the keyboard.
In recognition of his achievements, he was awarded 'the Professor of the Year' prize by the Music Association of Korea in 2002, and he also received a decoration for ‘the Artist of the Year’ by the Ministry of Culture in Korea in 2006.
Mr.Kim has been on jury member for the Leeds, Gina Bachauer, Cleveland, Busoni, Hamamatsu, Clara Haskil, Sendai, China, Paderewski, Beethoven International Piano Competition(Bonn) and among others. His students have the prizes in the major international competitions including the Rubinstein, the Busoni, the Van Cliburn, the Cleveland, the Geza Anda and the Sendai International Competition. Recently, his student at the Korean National University has won the first prize at the 2005 Clara Haskil International Piano Competition and the first prize at the Leeds International Competition in 2006.
Daejin Kim holds Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral degrees from the Juilliard School. Mr.Kim has been a member of the associate faculty at the Manhattan School of Music and has taught at Yale University as a visiting professor in 2006. He is currently a professor at the Korean National University of Arts and the Music Director of the Kumho Chamber Music Society and the Suwon Philharmonic Orchestra.