Beethoven’s Two Piano Concertos: Jenny Soonjin Kim and Friends

Esteemed pianist Jenny Soonjin Kim and her two accompanists will take the audience on a musical journey that begins with Beethoven’s dynamic Concerto No. 3 and is followed by the delicate Concerto No. 4.

Jenny Soonjin Kim, piano

accompanied by
Wenqing Zhang, piano
Han Na Park, piano 

Sunday, April 14, 2024, 7 p.m.
Drinkward Recital Hall

Often described as a “Spielfreude”, a perfect term to characterize Jenny Soonjin Kim’s joy of playing piano and fortepiano. Kim has established an international reputation as a performing and recording artist, specializing in piano and period instruments. As a dedicated, passionate and life-long advocate of music, Kim has been practicing, performing and teaching piano virtually her entire life. A native of South Korea, Kim began her piano life by attending the renowned Yewon & Seoul Arts High School in Seoul. From there, she studied at the prestigious Seoul National University, majoring in Piano Performance. Aside from her expertise in piano performance, Kim is also a celebrated harpsichord and fortepiano virtuoso.

Recording Highlights

Her recording career stems back to 2010 when she recorded Volume I of Master Composers, followed by Volumes II andIII in 2011 and 2012, all produced by Arabesque Records. The three volumes range from 17th-century J.S. Bach to 20th-century Arnold Schoenberg with many masters in between. The volumes were nominated for the prestigious Gilmore Artist Award in 2012.

In July 2018, she completed a World Premiere recording of Johann Friedrich Doles Jr. (1746-1796) on fortepiano for Brilliant Classics.

In 2020, she was only the second pianist in this world to release all 50 keyboard sonatas of Bohemian composer, Leopold Kozeluch (1747-1818) which was released in a 12-CD box set for Brilliant Classics. In the same year, as an exclusive Sony Classical artist, Kim recorded various albums, highlighted by her Vienna recording, Eternal Beethoven, in celebration of the 250th Birthday of Ludwig van Beethoven for Sony Records.

Presently, Kim is in the process of compiling a Live Video Recording of Beethoven’s Complete Five Piano Concertos accompanied by the Vienna Symphony Orchestra in Vienna. She performed Concerto No. 1 in 2023. Concertos 2 and 3 will be completed in 2024. The 5 concerto package will be available sometime after its completion.

Live Performance

In her role as a renowned international artist, Kim has performed in major international venues in Europe, Asia, and North America. She first rose to prominence on the international scene with her solo recital at the renowned Seoul Arts Center in South Korea in 2017.

In 2019 Kim had an especially dynamic year that included her being invited to perform at the China Sanya International Piano Festival in Hainan Province, China, and in Taipei, Taiwan. Later that year, she performed Kozeluch’s First Piano Concerto in F Major with the Philharmony Hradec Králové conducted by Filippo Arlia at Smetana Hall, Prague.

In 2021 Kim performed Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11 with the Orquestra Sinfónica de Torrevieja conducted by José Francisco Sánchez in Spain.

Kim was selected to perform Beethoven’s Triple Concerto with Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonie Orchestra led by Yunsung Chang in Musikverein Golden Hall, Vienna to commemorate the 130th Anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Austria in 2022.

In 2023 saw her performing throughout North America where she also served as a guest presenter at the California Association of Professional Music Teachers (CAPMT) for the second time.

Presently, she has been invited to perform the Triple Concerto as an encore performance celebrating the amicable relationship between South Korea and Austria, this time in Berlin at the Philharmonic Hall with the Nuremberg Orchestra on March 28, 2024. 

Educator and Ambassador of Music

Kim is currently an Assistant Professor of Practice at Claremont Graduate University, overseeing its piano/fortepiano program and directing Performance Forum. She also serves on the board of directors of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the Grammy-nominated vocal ensemble where she is involved as an education committee member and gala host.

Upon graduation from Seoul National University, she continued her studies at the University of Southern California (USC) where she earned her Master's Degree in Piano Performance. She then studied at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) where she obtained a diploma in Music Business: Music Management and Merchandising. Kim obtained her Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree from Claremont Graduate University as a recipient of CGU’s Grace Hobson-Smith Music Fellowship.

In 2021 Kim served as an international judicator for notable events, which included the Scriabin International Piano Competition held in Grosseto, Italy, and the U.S. Golden State International Strings & Piano Competition, sponsored by the Chinese government.

In 2023 she served as an ambassador for the United States/Republic of Korea's 70th Anniversary Celebration Concert at Walt Disney Concert Hal. This event is a collaboration between the Los Angeles Master Chorale and the Busan Metropolitan Chorus. During this time, she played a key role in securing funding, entertainment, and guests for this program. Additionally, she served as the primary point of contact facilitating communication between the LA Master Chorale in the United States and the government representative from the Republic of Korea.

Critical Acclaim

Antoni Jakubowski, music critic (Torrevieja Target: Cultural Press) wrote of Chopin’s first piano concerto “Guest soloist Jenny Soonjin Kim dazzled the audience with her performance, conveying all these characteristics in an impressive and convincing way. Utilizing her technical skills, she at the same time impressed with a lot of musicality, sensitivity and poetic, thoughtful and romantic interpretation.” 

Michael Allhoff, owner of Costa Blanca Leben wrote “With verve, dedication and precision, the piano soloist Jenny Soonjin Kim interpreted the Concerto No. 1 by Chopin.”

Sylvia Berry (Early Music America) wrote of the second Kozeluch volume “Kim’s playing is crystalline and lyrical, with exquisitely sensitive phrasing. She is an assured virtuoso who interprets Kozeluch’s music beautifully.”

An All About Jazz reviewer wrote “Pianist Jenny Soonjin Kim plays with an almost Baroque flair well-fitting of the music. The period treatment that Kim brings to the Koželuch sonatas gives them a crisp texture and very nearly tactile character. Kim's performance is commanding and authoritative. The sonics are superb.”

Marco Frei (Germany’s Piano News) wrote of the Doles recording “Once again the instrument convinces with an unheard-of floating, tonal quality in piano and a voluminous expression in forte, and Kim knows how to use this fascinating richness of color perfectly. With this premiere recording, Kim has taken an exemplary view, because it brings together the sound, poetry, and gripping verve in a meaningful way.” 


Han Na Park obtained her Master’s degree in piano performance (M.M.) at the California State University, Northridge under Dr. Dmitri Rachmanov. Subsequently, she received her Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) degree in Historical Performance Practice/Keyboard studies at Claremont Graduate University under the tutelage of Dr. Jenny Soonjin Kim (fortepiano and modern piano) and Dr. Robert Zappulla (harpsichord). Her diverse performances include solo works on the modern piano and the historical keyboard instruments such as the fortepiano and harpsichord as well as collaborations with string ensembles. Park, as an educator, is also an active member of the Music Teachers’ Association of the California (MTAC) Glendale Branch, the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), and the California Association of Professional Music Teachers (CAPMT).

Wenqing Zhang is a pianist with a rich blend of performance experiences, currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) at Claremont Graduate University mentored by Dr. Jenny Soonjin Kim. Zhang holds a Master’s degree in Piano Performance from Illinois State University and a Bachelor’s from Shenyang Conservatory of Music receiving first-class scholarships at every educational institution attended. Her rich performance experience was demonstrated by a series of successful solo recitals at both institutions. In addition to solo performances, Zhang has a strong background in accompaniment, working with ensembles like the Illinois State University's Treble Choir and Symphonic Orchestra participating in several tours, as well as collaborating with violin and voice studios at Shenyang Conservatory. Her talent has been recognized with awards, including the Gold Prize at the Musicale Fall Music Festival in 2021.

HMC is deeply grateful for the generous support that created The Ken Stevens ’61 Founding Class Concert Series.