Choah Kim

Choah Kim is a pianist whose artistry and scholarship have been shaped by an international education and a distinguished performance career. She earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance from Boston University in 2019, where she was inducted into the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society and received the Richmond Scholarship as well as the Esther B. and Albert S. Kahn Grant Award. Under the guidance of Professor Pavel Nersessian, she completed her dissertation titled The Choreographic Character Piece Cinderella by Sergei Prokofiev. Prior to her doctoral studies, she obtained a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University in 2013, studying with Professor Alexander Shtarkman and receiving merit scholarships along with the Peggy and Yale Gordon Accompanist Recognition. Her foundational training was at Seoul National University, where she graduated summa cum laude in 2011 under Professor Hyung Bae Kim, supported by multiple academic scholarships. She began her formal education at Sunhwa Arts High School in Seoul, where she was recognized for outstanding performance and academic excellence.
Her recent performance highlights include solo and duo recitals across Korea, the United States, and Europe. Notable engagements include her 2026 recital A Pianistic Journey Bridging Tradition and Contemporary Korean Music at the Seoul Arts Center, the Romanticism Collection Series dedicated to Schumann and Liszt, and thematic programs such as From Ballet to Piano: Prokofiev’s Cinderella Piano Suite and Luciano Berio Centennial Celebration. She has appeared at venues such as Lincoln Center’s Bruno Walter Auditorium, Mozarthaus in Vienna, Kumho Art Hall in Seoul, and Princeton’s Hillman Performance Hall, presenting programs that explore both canonical repertoire and contemporary works.
In addition to her performance career, Kim has held academic appointments at several institutions. She served on the piano faculty at Rider University’s Westminster Conservatory of Music from 2019 to 2024 and worked as a teaching associate at Boston University between 2014 and 2016. Since 2025, she has been a lecturer in piano at Mokpo National University, Catholic University of Korea, Korea National University of Transportation, and Seoul Theological University.
Her discography includes digital releases such as Romance and Fantasy (2024), L’Après-Midi Romantique (2023), and singles featuring works by César Franck, Aaron Copland, and Edison Denisov. Her scholarly contribution includes the 2019 publication of her dissertation on Prokofiev’s Cinderella.
Kim’s artistry has been recognized through numerous awards, including prizes at the CAI International Competition in New York, the Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition, and the Universal Music Competition in Seoul. She has also served as an adjudicator for competitions such as the Sempre Music Competition, the Elite International Music Competition, and the Yamaha National Piano Repertoire Award.
Through her performances, teaching, and publications, Choah Kim continues to bridge tradition and innovation in piano performance, contributing to both the artistic and academic communities worldwide.