Helena Hyesoo Kim, a Korean-Canadian pianist, has been praised for her “keys that dance around the frisky saw prowess in animated ways” (Take Effect). Her performances have taken her to major venues across the Netherlands, France, Russia, Spain, Korea, Canada, and the United States, including Carnegie Hall in New York and Severance Hall in Cleveland, Ohio. Kim has performed with the Poland Chamber Orchestra in South Korea. She has received awards in numerous national and international competitions, including the Vancouver Women’s Musical Society Competition, the CCM Concerto Competition, the Robert Beardsley Piano Prize Competition, the Russian International Music Festival, and the Hanguk Ilbo and Eum-Yeon Competitions.
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She actively performs as a soloist but also values collaboration as a central part of her artistic work. Kim has collaborated with internationally renowned soprano Sumi Jo and trumpet virtuoso Jens Lindemann of Canadian Brass in New York City. She recently released the CD Locally Sourced with saxophonist Todd Gaffke on Neuma Records; the album has been broadcast on radio stations in San Francisco and Cleveland (Innovations on WCLV). Prior to her appointment in Missouri, she served as a collaborative pianist at the College-Conservatory of Music and Northern Kentucky University, and as Coordinator of Accompanying at the University of Akron.
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Her recent performances feature works by contemporary female composers, including Kaija Saariaho, Caroline KyungA Ahn, Alexina Louie, Galina Ustvolskaya, and Sofia Gubaidulina. Her DMA research focuses on the piano sonatas of Galina Ustvolskaya, often referred to as “a lady with hammers,” a composer who maintained an uncompromising artistic voice despite repression under the Soviet government. Kim regularly presents both her performances and research at MTNA and NCKP conferences, with a particular focus on women composers and the career development of musicians.
In addition to her performing activities, Kim is deeply committed to building artistic communities. In Canada, she organized a benefit concert for the Canadian Cancer Society and worked with Music on Main in Vancouver, British Columbia. She currently serves as Chair of the MMTA Competition in Columbia, Missouri, and as Vice President of the Board for the Odyssey Chamber Music Society and Plowman Competition.
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Kim is an enthusiastic educator with over twenty years of teaching experience. She has taught students of diverse educational and demographic backgrounds across all age groups in both private and group settings. Her dedication to pedagogy is reflected in her regular appearances as a presenter at state and national Music Teachers’ Association conferences. She has also contributed to the field through the publication of the video series Inspiring Piano Series at the Frances Clark Center. In addition to her teaching roles, Kim serves on the piano faculty at Encore Coda Camp in Maine and at the University of Missouri