Junhee Kim — Pianist

Junhee Kim began playing the piano at the age of four and quickly emerged as one of South Korea's most gifted young musicians. Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, he swept domestic competitions — earning first prizes at the Ewha Kyung-Hyang, Kookmin, Hankook, and Music Journal competitions, among others — culminating in two consecutive Gold Medals at the Seoul Youth Chamber Music Competition in 2005 and 2006.

At just thirteen, he made his debut recital through the prestigious KUMHO Prodigy Series in 2004, followed by the KUMHO Young Artist and Rising Star recitals. He gave his first major professional concert at the Hoam Rising Star Recital in 2008, presented by artist management CREDIA.

The turning point came in 2007, when seventeen-year-old Junhee Kim became the youngest competitor in the history of the Long-Thibaud International Music Competition in Paris. He was awarded the Deuxième-Grand Prix along with three special prizes: the Monaco Prince Prize, the Best Mozart Performance Prize, and the Best Solo Recital Program Prize.

This launched an international career that would see him performing across Europe and Asia. In 2008, he made his international orchestral debut with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra at the legendary Suntory Hall — a milestone that opened doors to concert stages around the world.

Junhee Kim pursued his advanced studies in Germany under the mentorship of Professor Arnulf von Arnim, completing his Master's degree in Solo Piano and Chamber Music (2012–2014) and his Konzertexamen — the highest performance degree in the German academic system, equivalent to a doctorate in music performance — which he completed in 2024.

During his years in Munich, he formed the Munique Trio alongside bassist Minje Sung and clarinetist Jongsun Jang, performing extensively across Switzerland, France, and Austria, including a landmark duo recital with Minje Sung at the Auditorium du Louvre in Paris.

In July 2024, Junhee Kim released his debut solo album APPARITIONS on Deutsche Grammophon, featuring works by Franz Liszt. The album was recorded in collaboration with Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) and showcases eleven tracks spanning Liszt's most intimate miniatures to his most virtuosic concert works.

Since 2019, he has served as Artistic Director of the Santa Barbara International Music Festival in Italy, curating programming and inviting emerging and established artists from around the world.

His expanding presence in film includes the original soundtrack of the 2025 Korean film 폭락, for which he recorded solo piano, and his Korean debut with the Odesa Philharmonic Orchestra. He continues to perform lecture-recitals at the Sejong Arts Center and Lotte Concert Hall, and holds the title of Ambassador of Bucheon, South Korea.