David Kim

David Kim (‘81) – Concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra since 1999, David Kim began playing the violin at age three. Upon graduating from Williamsville North High School, Kim attended the Juilliard School in New York where he received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. At age 12 he appeared with Itzhak Perlman as the subject of “Prodigy”, a WNEW-TV (New York) production, and in 1986, he was the only American violinist to win a prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow.

Kim is founder and artistic director of the Kingston Chamber Music Festival at the University of Rhode Island where he holds the position of Special Guest Artist and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Arts degree in 2001. From 1991-1996, Kim was a member of the Diaz Trio, which toured the United States, Europe, Central and South America. His solo engagements around the world have included the orchestras of Dallas; Pittsburgh; Buffalo; Capetown, South Africa; Seoul, Korea; and Moscow.

Kim devotes a portion of his schedule each year to bringing classical music to children. In conjunction with the Kingston festival, he founded an annual outreach program that takes him into elementary schools, performing and speaking about classical music in an effort to cultivate future audiences. He also gives annual master classes at the Manhattan School of Music and the Curtis Institute as well as many other institutions. His recordings can be heard on the Dorian (Diaz Trio), Warner, Musical Heritage Society, and SKC labels.