Sung-Im Kim, born in Seoul, South Korea, started playing the piano at the age of seven. Two years later she won first prize in the Korean National Competition. By the age of fifteen, Sung-Im had her debut as soloist with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. She went on to win the Eum Ak Chun Chu and Jung-Ang competitions, among the most prestigious in Korea. As a student in Seoul, she performed numerous solo and chamber concerts., including her solo debut recital as the winner of the Chosun Ilbo National Competition.
After obtaining her Bachelor of Arts from Kyung-Won University under Young-Ho Kim, Sung-Im continued to the Royal Academy of Music in London to study under Frank Wibaut and Christopher Elton. There she earned both a Diploma of Advanced Studies with Merit, and a Licentiate from the Royal Academy of Music. While in England, Ms. Kim gave solo performances at many venues, including the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, the Glenilla Arts Foundation, and the Pump Room in Bath. While in England, Ms. Kim won the Sterndale Bennett Prize at the Royal Academy of Music; and First Prizes at The Haverhill Sinfonia Competition, and The Ibla International Piano Competition in Italy.
She earned her Master’s Degree at Carnegie Mellon University, studying under Sergey Schepkin and Enrique Graf.
As an active chamber musician, Sung-Im has performed recitals and chamber music throughout Pittsburgh, collaborating with Ray Chen, Sergey Schepkin, Luz Manriquez, and members of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Kim has premiered two works by Nancy Galbraith: “Effervescent Air” at Yonsei University in Seoul, and Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Pittsburgh Chamber Orchestra. She has performed compositions by Reza Vali at the National Gallery of Arts Concert Series in Washington, D.C., and at the Chatham University Music Program. Sung-Im has played numerous times with the Pittsburgh Concert Society.
Internationally, she has performed on chamber music series in Taiwan, and traveled to Shaoxing, China to perform a solo recital, and to give a series of master classes. Sung-Im is an Assistant Teaching Professor in Collaborative Piano, is a chamber coach and teaches preparatory school at Carnegie Mellon University.
