Korean-American pianist Kimberly Kong made her debut with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra at age nine. Since then she has appeared frequently as a soloist with the orchestra under the baton of Marvin Hamlisch. She has also performed solo recitals at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D. C., Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh, PNC Bank Recital Hall at Duquesne University, and the Puccini Theatre in Italy.
Kimberly has been garnering awards since a young age, including the grand prize at the Cincinnati World Piano Competition in 1998, second prize at the 20th Bartok-Prokofiev-Kabalevsky Competition in 2000, first prize at the Helen Clay Frick Scholarship Competition in 2003, first prize at the National Symphony Orchestra Young Solists Competition in 2005, and second prize at the Music Teachers National Association Piano Competition in 2006. Ms. Kong was also the winner of the Kosciuszko Chopin Piano Competition in New York City in 2007, and grand prize winner of the Margaret A. Guthman Keyboard Competition in 2008.
Ms. Kong, a native of Pittsburgh, received her Bachelor of Music degree from the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, studying with Yong Hi Moon. She received her Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School, where she studied with Julian Martin, and will attend the Peabody Institute to pursue her doctorate.
Kimberly is a past winner of the Pittsburgh Concert Society Young Artist Auditions (2002) and was named a Major Auditions Winner and selected to perform in the Pittsburgh Concert Society 2011–2012 season.
