About Jun-yong Kim

Jun-yong Kim, Conductor

Korean-American conductor Jun-yong Kim is widely recognized for his expressive clarity, collaborative artistry, and ability to draw deeply engaging performances from both professional and university orchestras. Praised for his “snappy energy and terrific ear for detail” (Milwaukee Magazine) and “stylish support” (Baltimore Sun) on a Schumann Cello Concerto recording, Kim has steadily built a reputation as a compelling musical leader across symphonic and operatic stages in North America and Europe.

As Music Director of the UWM Symphony Orchestra and Artistic Director and Conductor of the Washington Chamber Orchestra (WCO), Kim has shaped a distinctive artistic vision rooted in excellence, inclusivity, and community engagement. Under his leadership, WCO is completing a full Beethoven Symphony Cycle, presented a sold-out concert with pianist Seong-Jin Cho, and partnered with Nurit Bar-Josef (Concertmaster, National Symphony Orchestra) for a benefit concert for Ukrainian refugees. Other highlights include a critically acclaimed performance of Beethoven’s Triple Concerto with Alex Kerr (Concertmaster, Dallas Symphony Orchestra), Mark Kosower (Principal Cello, Cleveland Orchestra), and Min Kwon (Steinway Artist). Kim also collaborated with Yekwon Sunwoo (Van Cliburn Gold Medalist) in performances of Mendelssohn’s complete piano concertos.

Internationally, Kim has guest conducted the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta de Córdoba, North Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, and the National Symphony Orchestra of Opera and Ballet in Constanța, Romania. He has appeared with more than 40 orchestras across Canada, the U.K., Russia, Austria, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Czech Republic, Romania, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Venezuela, through competitions, festivals, and masterclasses. Notable appearances include the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the St. Magnus Festival, and work with the Cincinnati and Baltimore Symphony Orchestras through the Conductors Guild. Other appearances include the Lithuanian Symphony Orchestra, Brasov Philharmonic, St. Petersburg State Symphony, and the State Symphony Orchestra of Russia.

A laureate of several international competitions, Kim won First Prize at the Malta International Conducting Competition, Second Prize at the Orquesta de Córdoba Conducting Competition, and the Beethoven Conducting Prize from the European Music Academy. He is also a recipient of the L’Académie Lyrique Conductor’s Award, and was selected by Kurt Masur for his elite conducting seminar in New York. Earlier in his career, he was chosen for the Discovery Series at the Oregon Bach Festival, working closely with Helmuth Rilling, and trained at the Pierre Monteux School for Conductors, where he was awarded a full scholarship.

Equally at home in the opera pit, Kim received First Prize in the American Prize in Opera Conducting. His operatic credits include full productions of works by Verdi, Puccini, Mozart, Strauss, Offenbach, Ravel, and Purcell. He also led the final round of the Washington International Competition in Voice at the Kennedy Center.

A sought-after collaborator, Kim has worked with an array of internationally celebrated soloists, including Joshua Bell, Denyce Graves, Alexander Kagan, Martin García García, Yeol-Eum Son, Haesun Paik, Rachel Barton Pine, Bomsori Kim, Amit Peled, Alexander Fiterstein, Judith Ingolfsson, and Marina Piccinini.

Committed to supporting young musicians from diverse backgrounds thrive, Kim is actively involved in efforts that foster inclusion and opportunity in classical music, most recently through his work with the Denyce Graves Foundation’s Shared Voices initiative, supporting emerging opera singers from underrepresented communities.

Born in Seoul, Korea, and based in Chicago, Jun-yong Kim began his musical journey as a violinist. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts and Artist Diploma from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, a Master of Music from Indiana University, and a Bachelor of Music from the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University. His principal conducting mentors include Dumitru Goia, Jorma Panula, Gustav Meier, and Markand Thakar, with further study under Martyn Brabbns, Nicolás Pasquet, Johannes Schlaefli, and Colin Metters. His violin teachers included Miriam Fried, Victor Danchenko, and Won-Bin Yim.

Whether working with world-class orchestras, mentoring emerging artists, or building bridges through music, Jun-yong Kim brings passion, precision, and a deep belief in the transformative power of performance.