Ben Kim

Since giving his first solo recital at age eight and making his orchestral debut at twelve, Ben Kim has gone on to become one of the most acclaimed young pianists in the world. Kim is a master of demanding works by Brahms and Schumann and is especially noted for his command of works by Chopin.

How good is Kim? This year he won the lauded ARD Munich International Piano Competition, the latest accolade on a resumé that includes first place in the 2004 Yale Gordon Piano Competition at the Peabody Conservatory, grand prize in the 2000 World Piano Competition for Young Artists, and the highest prizes in the Kosciuszko Foundation Chopin Piano Competition in New York.

Even legendary teacher and mentor Leon Fleisher exalted Kim for his "enormous potential for a first-class career," and after his recent performance of Brahms's Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor in Baltimore, the Baltimore Sun reported, "Sparks were flying from the keyboard" with "power, precision, and feeling for the daunting score." Kim has also perfected some of the most challenging pieces by Debussy as well as Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2. A Kim performance is more than just a tickle of the ivories; it's a firm grasp on greatness. — Paul Catala