‘’...genial, engaging...she was utterly absorbed in the music in every bar.’’ (A. Clements, The Guardian)
‘’...thoughtful and stylish rendition...will definitely be a name to watch.’’ (L. Parham, BBC Radio 3)
Pianist Heejae Kim was awarded Second Prize at the world renowned Leeds International Piano Competition in 2015. She was also awarded the prestigious Terrence-Judd Hallé Orchestra Prize by Sir Mark Elder for her performance of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4. Heejae was placed Second at the UNISA International Piano Competition in South Africa (2012), Third at the Maria Canals International Piano Competition in Spain (2013), Third at the International Piano Competition of the Republic of San Marina in Italy (2014) and Sixth at the Seoul International Music Competition in South Korea (2014).
Heejae Kim has performed with The Hallé, English Chamber Orchestra, MDR Sinfonieorchester, Orchestra Sinfonica della Repubblica di San Marino, Orquestra Simfònica del Vallès, Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Korean Symphony Orchestra, Busan Philharmonic Orchestra and Changwon Philharmonic Orchestra. She has given recitals in United Kingdom, Germany, France, Belgium and South Korea.
Heejae was born in South Korea in 1987 and her musical talent was discovered and developed from her early years on. Starting her musical education with Choongmo Kang at the Korea National University of Arts in Korea, she continued her studies at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater ,,Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy,, Leipzig in Germany with support of Gerald Fauth, graduating in 2017. During her Studies in Leipzig, she was selected as a scholarship recipient of the State Scholarship from the funds of the Free State of Saxony as well as the Elfrun Gabriel Foundation. She also gave solo recitals in Leipzig and the surrounding cities, which were organized by the foundation.
Heejae Kim is currently based in South Korea and teaches at the Hanyang University as an Assistant Professor.
“사려 깊고 스타일리쉬한 연주... 반드시 주목할 만한 이름”(BBC Radio 3) 이라는 극찬을 받은 피아니스트 김희재는 영국 Leeds International Piano Competition 2위 및 Terence Judd–Hallé Orchestra Prize 특별상을 수상하며 “청중의 이야기를 들으며 대화하는 피아니스트”(Brussels Piano Festival) 라는 호칭을 얻었다. 그뿐만 아니라, 남아프리카 공화국 UNISA International Piano Competition 2위, 산마리노 공화국 International Piano Competition of the Republic of San Marino 3위, 스페인 Maria Canals International Music Competition 3위 그리고 서울국제음악콩쿠르에서 6위를 입상하였다.
더하우스콘서트, 금호아트홀 아름다운 목요일 라이징 스타 시리즈, 금호 아시아나 솔로이스츠, 금호영아티스트콘서트, 야마하 그랜드 피아노 페어, 유로아트 페스티벌, 음연 국제 음악 페스티벌,국민대학교 초청독주회, 한국예술종합학교 동문음악회, 오르페오TV 오드포트라이브, 장일범의 유쾌한 클래식 등 여러 차례 국내 무대에 초청받았고, 영국 Leeds Town Hall, Manchester Bridgewater Hall, Carlisle,Oxford Piano Festival, Bury St Edmunds Festival, 프랑스 Paris Salle Cortot, 벨기에 Brussels Piano Festival, 스페인 Barcelona Palau de la Música, Auditori, 산마리노 공화국 Teatro Concordia di Borgo Maggiore, 독일 Leipzig, Weimar,Halle, Bayreuth 등 세계 각지에서 콘서트피아니스트로서의 이름을 각인시켰다.
또한 English Chamber Orchestra, Hallé Orchestra, MDR Sinfonieorchester, Orchestra Sinfonica della Repubblica di San Marino, Orquestra Simfònica del Vallès, Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra, 코리안 심포니 오케스트라, 부산시립교향악단, 광주시립교향악단 및 창원시립교향악단 등과 협연 무대를 가졌다.
부산예술고등학교, 한국예술종합학교에서 강충모 교수를 사사하였고, 이후 도독하여 라이프치히 국립 음대(Hochschule für Musik und Theater “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy’’ Leipzig)에서 게랄드 파우트(Gerald Fauth) 교수의 지도 아래 석사과정(Master) 및 최고연주자과정(Meisterklassenexamen)을 음대 개교 이래 가장 우수한 성적으로 입학 및 졸업하였다.
귀국 후 서울대, 경희대, 국민대 강사를 역임하였고, 2022년 3월부터 한양대학교 음악대학 피아노과 조교수로 부임하여 교육자로서의 활동도 활발히 이어가고 있다.
Heejae Kim wurde 1987 in Masan, Südkorea, geboren. Schon frühzeitig wurde ihre musikalische Begabung entdeckt und gefördert. Ab 2006 Studium an der Korea National University of Arts bei Prof. Choong Mo Kang und ab 2010 an der Hochschule für Musik und Theater Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Leipzig in der Klasse von Prof. Gerald Fauth, wo sie ihr Masterstudium 2013 und die Meisterklasse 2017 jeweils mit Auszeichnung abschloss.
Während ihres Meisterklassenstudiums wurde sie als Stipendiatin des Landesstipendiums aus den Mitteln des Freistaates Sachsen sowie der Stiftung Elfrun Gabriel ausgewählt. Sie gab auch Soloabende in Leipzig und den umliegenden Städten, die von der Stiftung organisiert wurden.
Kim erzielte zahlreiche Wettbewerbserfolge, darunter den 2. Preis beim 12. Internationalen Klavierwettbewerb „Unisa“ in Pretoria (Südafrika, 2012), den 3. Preis beim Internationalen Musikwettbewerb „Maria Canals“ in Barcelona (Spanien, 2013) sowie den 3. Preis beim Internationalen Klavierwettbewerb in San Marino (2014). 2015 gewann sie den 2. Preis beim renommierten Leeds International Piano Competition und erhielt den Preis des Hallé Orchesters für ihre Interpretation von Beethovens Klavierkonzert Nr. 4 in G-Dur op. 58.
Sie konzertierte mit dem MDR Orchester, dem Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra, dem Orquestra Simfònica des Vallès, dem Korea Symphony Orchestra und sowie solistische Konzerte in den europäischen Musikzentren.
Heejae Kim lebt derzeit in Südkorea und ist als Assistenzprofessorin an der Hanyang University tätig.