New Talents - Hwan Hee Kim

Successfully selected from our New Talents Open Call, the Korean Cultural Centre UK is proud to present pianist Hwan Hee Kim this Autumn.

Programme

• J.S. Bach (arr. F. Busoni) – Ich ruf' zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ (I call on Thee, Lord Jesus Christ)
• R. Schumann – Waldszenen (Forest Scenes), Op. 82
• Kuk-jin Kim – Selections from Pieces of Korean Rhythm for Piano, Op.36
  - No. 13 Taepyeongga (태평가)
  - No. 14 Pungnyeonga (풍년가)
  - No. 18 Maehwa Taryeong (매화타령)
  - No. 19 Betteulga (베틀가)
• Kuk-jin Kim – Arirang gogae (아리랑 고개)
• Kuk-jin Kim – Ballade No.5 Seungmu (승무)
  
  

Kuk-jin Kim (1930-2020): Composer

Kuk-jin Kim was a prolific composer, whose work represents a groundbreaking and deeply personal synthesis of Korean folk traditions (gugak) with Western classical forms. Born in what is now North Korea, he later settled in Busan in South Korea, having defected following the Korean War.

Kim developed his musical style outside the mainstream academic and musical circles. Instead, studying composition privately under the American missionary Dwight Malsbary (1899-1977), who encouraged Kim to create a new Korean musical language, a ‘Sound of Korea’, instead of imitating European models.

Rather than following the western avant-garde trends of the 20th century, Kim explored the traditional rhythms (jangdan), pentatonic scales, and modal harmonies, all woven into Western forms like the variation, sonata, and ballade. His larger works, such as Ballades, were often described by the composer as modern forms of sanjo, a Korean instrumental genre known for its narrative quality and rhythmic nuance.

Throughout a long life, Kim composed hundreds of piano pieces that offer a unique and remarkable body of work within contemporary Korean music.


Hwan Hee Kim (Pianist)

Hwan Hee Kim is a South Korean pianist whose international career bridges performance and cultural research. Based in Manchester, he is pursuing success in the final year of PhD in piano performance at the Royal Northern College of Music, actively championing the piano works of Korean composer Kuk-jin Kim (1930–2020).

Renowned for his expressive and thoughtful interpretations, Hwan Hee has performed in major venues across the UK and Europe, including recitals in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Shrewsbury, Aberdeen, Novi Sad, and Prague, as well as giving masterclasses in the Philippines. His recent performances include appearances at the RNCM Spotlight Series, the inaugural Didsbury Coffee Concert in 2025, St Bride’s Church in the City of London, and Milton Court Concert Hall at Guildhall School of Music and Drama, as part of a major international Conference.

He has won multiple awards in international piano competitions, including top prizes at the Art Duo International Music Festival in Prague, and prizes at competitions in Vienna, Milan, Hong Kong, California, and Helsinki. These accolades reflect his versatility as a pianist fluent in both the Romantic and Contemporary repertoire.

Drawing on a decade of high-level training under distinguished teachers such as Nita Quinto, Jourdann Petalver, László Baranyay, Rustam Shaykhutdinov, and Adam Swayne, Hwan Hee brings depth, clarity, and cultural narrative to the stage. His current focus is introducing the rarely heard piano works of Kuk-jin Kim to new audiences. Hwan Hee has premiered many of Kuk-jin’s pieces internationally, using annotated manuscripts acquired through direct collaboration with the composer’s family and one of his pupils.

Through these performances, Hwan Hee aims to reframe perceptions of Korea’s musical identity within the global classical music scene by presenting the powerful blend of tradition, storytelling and pianistic craft that come together in Kuk-jin Kim’s ‘Sound of Korea.’