NY Philharmonic violinist to perform with Skidmore Orchestra

Assistant concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic since 2001, Kim will perform as soloist with the Skidmore College Orchestra in a concert at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7, in Filene Recital Hall. Maestro Anthony Holland will conduct the program, which will include the well-loved Saint-Sa ns? Havanaise, and the Tchaikovsky Concerto for Violin and Orchestra. Also on the program are Verdi?s Overture to La Forza del Destino and Dvorak?s Scherzo capriccioso.

The acclaimed violinist also will teach a master class at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8, in Filene Hall. The public is invited to observe as the top-tier violinist shares her knowledge with Skidmore?s young musicians.

Tickets for the concert are available starting at 7 p.m. the night of the concert, or may be reserved in advance by phoning the music department at 518-580-5320. General admission tickets are $5, or $2 for students and seniors (free for Skidmore students with ID).

The Skidmore Orchestra features more than 75 musicians, drawn from a pool of talented college musicians, area community players, and including 20 professionals who perform with the Albany Symphony, Glens Falls Symphony, Schenectady Symphony, Catskill Symphony and Utica Symphony orchestras.

The orchestra celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, and Holland noted the students? pride that Kim will be guest soloist for the upcoming concert, and also for another event in April. ?She?s a spectacular violinist, and really had the students sitting up and taking notice when she worked with them during her first visit here, last month,? he said.

Over the past few years, Skidmore?s Orchestra has hosted several Sterne Virtuoso Artists from major U.S. orchestras, including Michael Ludwig, formerly associate concertmaster with the Philadelphia Orchestra and currently concertmaster with the Buffalo Philharmonic; Mark Ludwig, violist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and founder and director of the Terezin Chamber Music Foundation; and Hai-Ye Ni, principal cellist with the Philadelphia Orchestra and former assistant principal cello with the N.Y. Philharmonic.

This year?s virtuoso artist was born in Seoul, South Korea, and moved with her family to California at age 11. Already studying piano at that time, Kim began violin lessons with Robert Lipsett, who remained her principal teacher throughout her studies. Just a few years later, in 1991 she was named a Presidential Scholar and performed in recital at the Kennedy Center.

Kim attended the University of Southern California?s Thornton School of Music as a Starling Foundation scholarship recipient, receiving additional coaching and training from such master musicians as Dorothy DeLay, Yehudi Menuhin, Michael Tree, Cho-Liang Lin, Joseph Gingold, Pinchas Zukerman, Lynn Harrell, and the Orion Quartet.

Before winning the assistant concertmaster position with NY Philharmonic, Kim performed as concertmaster with the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, Fresno Philharmonic, New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra, 20th Century Unlimited Chamber Orchestra, and many other ensembles.

She has served on the faculties of the University of Southern California and the R.D. Colburn School of Performing Arts, both based in Los Angeles, and now teaches at Mannes College of Music in New York.

Trained in tae kwon do and kickboxing, Kim loves sports and fishing. She is married and the mother of two young children.