Born in Seoul, Sunwook Kim graduated from the Korean University, and then completed an MA in conducting at the Royal Academy of Music (London). In 2006, he won the Leeds International Piano Competition, the youngest winner in fourty years and the first Asian winner. Other prizes include the 2004 Ettlingen (Germany) and 2005 Clara Haskil (Switzerland) competitions. He has appeared as soloist with orchestras including the London Symphony, Hamburg Symphony, London Philharmonic, Radio-France Philharmonic, Berlin Radio, Hallé and Bournemouth Symphony orchestras under conductors such Sokhiev, Harding, Gardiner, Paavo Järvi and Vänskä. Recital performances include the ‘Piano 4 Etoiles’, Wigmore Hall, La Roque d’Antheron (France), Beethoven-Haus (Bonn), Tokyo, Osaka, and the Ruhr and Mecklenburg festivals. In August 2022, Sunwook conducted the Seoul Philharmonic in their National Liberation Day Concert marking the 77th anniversary of Korea’s National Liberation Day. Upcoming conducting debuts include with the Fundación Excelentia Madrid and Macao Orchestra.
Photo Marco Borggreve