Praised for her “musical maturity and masterful technique” (Leipziger Volkszeitung), Korean-born violinist Dr. Soo Yeon Kim joined Houghton University in Fall 2018 as Assistant Professor of Violin and Viola. In 2022, she inaugurated the university’s Summer String Festival, now officially titled the Summer Music Festival at Houghton University. Dr. Kim has also spearheaded numerous string-related initiatives, including the Spring String Intensive, string ensembles, guest artist masterclasses, and workshops on musicians’ wellness, an area of her recognized expertise.

As a soloist and avid chamber musician, Dr. Kim appeared on major concert stages throughout the U.S., such as Alice Tully Hall, David Geffen Hall, and Peter Jay Sharp Theater at Lincoln Center; Stern Auditorium and Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall; Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre; and the Kennedy Center, as well as in Europe and Asia, including her native country, South Korea. She is a two-time first-prize winner of the Juilliard Pre-College Concerto Competition, a finalist of the Johansen International String Competition, and the first-prize winner of the Eastman Concerto Competition, among others. Her major international festival appearances include Starling-Delay Symposium as a young artist, Aspen Music Festival as an orchestra fellow, International Holland Music Sessions as a soloist, Leipzig Internationale Sommer-Musikakademie and Kronberg Academy as a young artist.

A devoted pedagogue and advocate for mindful musicianship, Dr. Kim integrates posture awareness, holistic technique, and artistic expression in her teaching. Previously, Dr. Kim has served on the instructor and teaching artist positions at Juilliard, University of Rochester-Eastman, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Institute, Thurnauer School of Music at the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades, Luzerne Music Center, Killington Music Festival, and Midori Summer Music Lab, among others. Her private students have won prizes in international competitions and matriculated at leading conservatories and universities including Juilliard, Manhattan School of Music, Mannes, Eastman, Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and Columbia. She regularly gives masterclasses and workshops on musician’s wellness tied to expressive playing; please visit her website for her current and future teaching engagements.