A violist is a philosopher, a connector, a pioneer and a human voice. To listen more than to draw attention to oneself, being a musician demands extraordinary awareness and aliveness in all our senses while remaining humble and joyful in our pursuit. I hope the VivaViola! community can become a space and support for everyone who loves the viola.
About Dongmin Kim
Dongmin Kim is quickly establishing himself as one the most inspiring and versatile conductors of today. He is the Music Director of the celebrated and innovated New York Classical Players (NYCP), a chamber orchestra comprised of today's most gifted instrumentalists. His recent and upcoming engagements in the world's prestigious stages include Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Jordan Hall, Herbst Theatre, Faulkner Performing Arts Center, Seoul Arts Center, the Lotte Concert Hall, to name a few.
Since founding NYCP in 2010, Mr. Kim has led over 150 concerts in the NYC metro area, three international tours from Asia to South America, a statewide residency with seven state universities in Arkansas, and a US national tour with superstar soprano Sumi Jo. Mr. Kim collaborates with some of the world’s renowned artists, including Miriam Fried, Donald Weilerstein, Kim Kashkashian, Cho-Liang Lin, Pamela Frank, Charles Neidich, Peter Wiley, Carol Wincenc, HaeSun Paik, Chee-Yun, Jasmine Choi, and Richard O’Neill.
Mr. Kim’s career highlights include a guest appearance with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center and sold-out performances of The Magic Flute with the Seoul Arts Center Festival Orchestra. He also had been on the podium with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, Jacksonville Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, Virginia Symphony, and Winnipeg Symphony, among others.
He was awarded the distinguished Herbert von Karajan Fellowship by the members of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, which resulted in a residency at the distinguished Salzburg Music Festival. Mr. Kim was a conducting staff at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra as the Schmidt Conducting Fellow. He worked with Andrew Litton, Raymond Leppard, Mario Venzago, Christoph Poppen, Lynn Harrell, André Watts, Garrick Ohlsson, and Lang Lang.
As a keen advocate of contemporary music, Mr. Kim has premiered over 50 compositions and led various contemporary ensembles. He has performed leading composers such as George Crumb, Harrison Birtwistle, Jennifer Higdon, David Dzubay, Dobrinka Tabakova, Vivian Fung, Eric Nathan, and Texu Kim.
A noted violinist, Mr. Kim has served in principal viola positions, including the Pacific Music Festival Orchestra under the baton of Michael Tilson-Thomas. As a recitalist and chamber musician, Mr. Kim has performed throughout the United States, South America, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
A native of Seoul, Mr. Kim has dual studies in Orchestral Conducting and Viola at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. His conducting mentors include Lorin Maazel, Kurt Masur, Christoph Eschenbach, Leonard Slatkin, Sergiu Comissiona, Imre Pallo, Gustav Meier, and David Effron.
