DoYeon Kim Band (Young Korean Artists Series)

The Young Korean Artists Series began as a continuous partnership between the Korean Cultural Center New York and CJ Cultural Foundation in 2022. The Series aims to discover and support a new generation of Korean artists across different artistic genres. Firmly believing that the growth of emerging artists is essential to contributing to the cultural landscape, the program will nurture Korean artists based in New York to pave their way to the international stage.

This year, the Series presents two musicians - DoYeon Kim (2016-2018 CJ Music Scholarship recipient), an experimentalist musician who blends Korean traditional string instrument Gayageum with Western musical instruments, and Dabin Ryu (2018-2020 CJ Music Scholarship recipient), a rising global star in the jazz world who recently won first prize in Jazz Piano at the 2024 UNISA International Music Competition. Their performances will mesmerize both the eyes and ears of the New York audience.

The Korean Cultural Center New York and CJ Cultural Foundation will continue to support various young, emerging artists in sharing their work at the newly opened Korean Cultural Center New York. Please join them in their ongoing efforts to empower artists in pursuing their dreams.

◆ Program

[Torn Light & Darkness]
[Heung]
[Walking in the Dream]
[Sun Shower]
[Blue Bird in Yellow Land]
[Symbiosis]
[The Beat of Distant Thunder]

◆ Do Yeon Kim Band

[Gayageum] DoYeon Kim
[American drum set and percussion] Satoshi Takeishi
[Piano] Phillip Golub
[Bass] Walter Stinson

◆ DoYeon Kim

DoYeon Kim is renowned for her mastery of the Gayageum, a traditional Korean string instrument. Incorporating influences from Korean music, jazz, and improvisation, she has expanded the instrument’s presence in the global improvisational music scene. Her collaborative projects extend beyond music, involving dancers, actors, and visual artists.

Throughout her career, DoYeon has garnered numerous accolades, winning competitions such as the Dong-A Ilbo Traditional Music Competition (2009) and the On-Nala Korean Music Competition (2011). She was the first student admitted to the New England Conservatory of Music’s Contemporary Improvisation Department to play a Korean traditional instrument. Graduating from Berklee’s Global Jazz Institute, she has performed worldwide, premiering compositions and lecturing on gayageum and Asian music at prestigious institutions.

As a music director and improvisation conductor for the Gyeonggi Sinawi Orchestra, DoYeon shapes the traditional music landscape in Korea. Her efforts to broaden musical approaches, drawing from Korean tradition and innovative techniques, are evident in her performances worldwide. Notably, her debut album, “GaPi” (2017), melds traditional Korean music and jazz, earning a nomination for a Korean Grammy Award in the crossover album category. Recognized by Grammy.com for her pioneering work, she continues to push boundaries, performing projects as a Van Lier Fellow at Roulette (2023).