Kihwa Kim

About

Pianist Kihwa Kim has established a diverse international career as a vocal coach, collaborative pianist, chamber musician, and recitalist throughout the United States, Italy, France, Hungary, and South Korea. Spanning standard to contemporary repertoire, her extensive operatic experience includes work with numerous organizations, such as Arizona Opera, Lyric Arts France, Opera in the Ozarks, Opera NEO, the Hungarian State Opera (in a co-production with Opera NEO), Dayton Opera, First Coast Opera, Austin Opera, Chonnam National University (Gwangju, South Korea), and Mantova National Music (Italy), among others.

Prior to joining Luther College in 2026 as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Music in Vocal Coaching and Collaborative Piano, Dr. Kim served as a Staff Collaborative Pianist at Truman State University from 2024 to 2026. In 2021, she served on the faculty of Westminster College in New Wilmington, PA. Additionally, she held the position of Staff Pianist at Northern Kentucky University from 2014 to 2016 and served as an Orchestra Pianist for the City of Mokpo Symphony Orchestra in Mokpo, South Korea, from 2007 to 2009.

Dr. Kim holds a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Collaborative Piano from the University of Texas at Austin, as well as an Artist Diploma (AD) in Opera Coaching and a Master of Music (MM) in Collaborative Piano from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. She was awarded the “President’s Merit Award” as the top graduate for her Bachelor of Music (BM) degree in Piano Performance from Chonnam National University (Gwangju, South Korea), where she also earned a Master of Music (MM) in Piano Performance.

She is an alumna of the Music Academy of the West, where she received the Vocal Piano Fellowship Award in 2017 and 2018.

Her artistic lineage is highlighted by years spent under the distinguished tutelage of Colette Valentine, Tamar Sanikidze, Anne Epperson, Marie-France Lefebvre, Kenneth Griffiths, Hyunok Moon, and Youngsil Son.