Dr. Ji Hyun Kim

Ji Hyun KimAssistant Professor of Violin and Viola
Director of Orchestra & String Studies

Office: Goodrich Chapel 111
Email: [email protected] | [email protected]

  • M.A., Violin Performance, 2010, Michigan State University;
  • M., Violin Performance, 2005, Michigan State University;
  • BMus(Hons)., Violin Performance, 2004, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, The University of Sydney
  • Appointed 2021.

Dr. Ji Hyun Kim, an Australian-American violinist, is a sought-after soloist, chamber and orchestral musician, educator, and music director. Born in South Korea, raised in New Zealand and Australia, and now residing in the United States, Ji Hyun’s multicultural background has shaped her dynamic and diverse musical career.

Ji Hyun received a Bachelor of Music Performance from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Australia, and completed her Master’s and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees at Michigan State University, with cognate studies in Contemporary Art Music, Viola Performance, and Music Therapy. She also has worked closely and performed with renowned violinists, conductors, and educators, including Vladimir Ashkenazy, Jonna Arthur, Kolja Blacher, Wolfram Christ, Youngwoo Chun, Yuri Gandelsman, Richard Gill, Raphael Jimenéz, Christopher Kimber, Jin-Kyoung Lee, Mary O’Brien, Imre Palló, Walter Verdehr, and Wanda Wilkomirska.

As an acclaimed violinist, Ji Hyun has made numerous media appearances worldwide and performed in major cities in South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, New Caledonia, Luxembourg, Austria, and the United States. Her live and recorded performances have been featured on New Zealand’s TV3 National News, Australia’s ABC Classic FM and SBS Korean Radio, and Michigan’s WKAR and WILX Broadcast. Ji Hyun’s outstanding musicality was recognized through her success in national and international competitions hosted by the Kaleidoscope Performing Arts Foundation, Yamaha Music Society, Chamber Music New Zealand, International Grieg Society, and the International Golden Classical Music Awards.

Ji Hyun also served as concertmaster and principal violinist of various ensembles and orchestras, including the Ad Libitum, Musique 21, Sydney Sinfonia, Vianden Summer Music Festival Orchestra, Varna International Music Academy “Muzika!” Festival Orchestra, Society of International Music Artist Orchestra, Lansing Symphony Orchestra, Jackson Symphony Orchestra, and Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra.

Ji Hyun is the Director of Orchestra and String Studies and Assistant Professor of Violin and Viola at Albion College. As a dedicated educator, she has made significant contributions both on campus and in the broader musical community. Her expertise is widely sought after, leading her to travel nationally and internationally to present lecture recitals, conference sessions, and master classes, as well as lead chamber and orchestral clinics. Ji Hyun’s commitment to music education extends to her roles as an adjudicator and string clinician. She has served on adjudicating panels for numerous prestigious events, including the ENKOR International Competition, the American String Teachers Association Certificate Advancement Program (ASTACAP), and the Michigan Schools Band & Orchestra Association (MSBOA) Solo & Ensemble Festival. Additionally, she has judged for the Oakland Youth Orchestras Concerto Competition, Michigan ArtWorks Competition, LSO Young Artist Competition, Don Heckinlively Music Performance Competition, and string auditions for the Lansing and Jackson Symphony Orchestras. As a pre-festival clinician and early-career teacher mentor, Ji Hyun regularly visits schools across Michigan to work with orchestra programs.

Ji Hyun is also the founder, artistic director, and violinist of ConTempus Initiative. This Michigan-based contemporary music collective is committed to presenting more creative and collaborative performances of compositions by living composers and overlooked female composers to connect with today’s audiences. Determined to cultivate more engaging composer-performer-audience relationships through new music that is relatable and accessible, Ji Hyun and the ConTempus ensembles have premiered and recorded multiple works by both professional and student composers in more unconventional and inclusive settings, collaborated with contemporary jazz and world-music ensembles, and presented interdisciplinary and community-enriching concert programs with various artists, chefs, storytellers, and dancers. Notable performances include collaborations with the Detroit Institute of Arts, Artlab J Dance Company, Michigan State University, Spring Arbor University, Albion College, State University of New York – Potsdam, Flint Institute of Music, City of East Lansing, Lansing Symphony Orchestra, Jackson Symphony Orchestra, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, Big Rapids Festival of the Arts, and many more.

As an advocate for “cultivating a culture of belongingness through embracing our differences,” Ji Hyun continues her effort to program diverse and inclusive repertoire, promote a positive and respectful learning and performing environment, and foster a broader understanding of the ever-expanding collaborative and entrepreneurial prospects in the music profession.

Ji Hyun Kim, D. M. A. (she/her)
[Hear my name]

Director of Orchestra and String Studies
Assistant Professor of Violin and Viola
Phone: (517) 648 – 5744
Email: [email protected] | [email protected]
Albion College Music Department Website