Minjoung Kim

Minjoung Kim was born in South Korea in 1995 and began playing the cello at the age of six. She won first prizes in international competitions even at a very young age, and performed her debut recital at the Kumho Art Hall in Seoul, South Korea, in 2004.

Kim gained her bachelor’s degree at the Musik-Akademie Basel. Following her bachelor’s, she studied at the Reina Sofía School of Music. At both schools, she studied with Ivan Monighetti and also worked together with Sol Gabetta during this time.

She has won awards in many international competitions, including the International Paulo Cello Competition in Helsinki, the Benedetto Mazzacurati International Cello Competition in Turin, the Grand Prix Emanuel Feuermann in Berlin and the Prague Spring International Music Competition.

Minjoung Kim holds scholarships from the Migros Culture Percentage cultural promotion programme and the Rahn Kulturfonds, as well as from the International Academy of Music in Liechtenstein where she regularly participates in masterclasses.

She performs worldwide, both as a soloist and chamber musician, with international orchestras such as the Incheon Philharmonic Orchestra, Suwon Philharmonic Orchestra, Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Jyväskylä Sinfonia, Orchestre Musique des Lumières and the Gstaad Festival Orchestra.

Minjoung studied form 2020 to 2024 at Kronberg Academy with Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt. Her studies were funded by the Dieter and Catrin Hofmann patronage. She was additionally supported by Jan Kleinewefers.