Join pianist Dr. Siwon Kim, adjunct professor of music, as we celebrate the United States’ 250th anniversary with a recital of American masterworks. This concert, which is free and open to the public, will take place Wed., April 22 at 7 p.m. in the Everest-Rohrer Auditorium on Bethel’s campus.
Enjoy Gershwin’s beloved melodies, reimagined by Earl Wild, along with the iconic Rhapsody in Blue and Samuel Barber’s powerful Piano Sonata. This program highlights the richness and variety of American music, moving from lyrical songs and jazz-inspired rhythms to the depth of modern expression. Be part of this vibrant and expressive musical journey.
About the Artist
Dr. Siwon [see-one] Kim, a native of Seoul, South Korea, began studying piano at the age of three in Seoul under Young-Ja Lee. She continued her musical studies at the country’s most prestigious music schools, such as Sunhwa Arts School, Seoul Arts High School and Seoul National University. She received multiple merit-based scholarships throughout her studies, as she consistently ranked first in her class. Her teachers during this time included Youngsil Kim, Sekyoung Park and Hyoung-Joon Chang. After graduating from Seoul National University with a Bachelor of Music degree, she moved to the United States, joined the Toradze Piano Studio at Indiana University South Bend and received an Artist Diploma and Master of Music degree. She earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, under the guidance of Prof. Arthur Greene. Kim serves as the music director at Grace United Methodist Church in South Bend and as an adjunct professor of music at Bethel University in Mishawaka, Indiana.
She appears as a guest artist at the invitation of such festivals and concert series as the Harbin International Piano Music Festival (China), SNU Chopin Concert Series, SNU Piano Duo Ensemble Series (South Korea) and Ultreia Stage Concert Series (USA). She performed in the Prokofiev Piano Sonatas Marathon at the Toradze International Music Festival in 2023. Dr. Kim has appeared as a soloist with orchestras worldwide, including the Gunpo Prime Philharmonic Orchestra, South Bend Symphony and The Mariinsky Orchestra. She has performed under the batons of maestros, including Jakyung Year, Tsung Yeh, Dean Whiteside and Valery Gergiev. (siwonkimpiano.com)