Kim was born in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Discouraged by his father (a professional orchestra musician) from entering the music field early on, Doctor Kim began piano lessons at age 11, and made his professional debut just a few years later, at age 15, performing Rachmaninov’s 1st piano concerto with the Calgary Philharmonic at the Banff Festival of the Arts.
He is currently Professor and Director of the University of Minnesota School of Music, Twin Cities. Previous positions include Dean of the School of Music at Brandon University (2008-2015) and Chair of the Keyboard Department, and Faculty Associate to the President at Lawrence University, Wisconsin. As he later stated: "The piano became the focus of my life. I did my best at school and got a number of academic scholarships but piano was my main interest.
I love the feeling of the contact with the keys, that tactile feeling, the endless ways of manipulating the sound."
A graduate of the Academy of Music at Mount Royal University and the University of Calgary where he studied under Marilyn Engle, Kim also holds Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from the Juilliard School.
Maintaining an active performing career alongside his academic life, he has toured extensively as a recitalist and chamber musician throughout North America, South America, the United Kingdom and of Korea, also performing as concerto soloist with ensembles such as the Boston and Cincinnati Pops, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and every major Canadian orchestra. Kim has been the recipient of numerous awards, including grand prizes in the Canadian Broadcasting Company National Radio Competition for Young Performers and the Canadian Music Competition, Canada Council for the Arts, and prizes in the Scottish, Leeds, and Ivo Pogorelich International Piano Competitions.
In 2001, Kim married fellow pianist Kyung Kim (Park) who is also a piano faculty member at Brandon University’s School of Music. They collaborate frequently as a duo, especially in one piano four hand repertoire.
