#SHOWBIZ: MPO teams up with violin virtuoso Bomsori Kim
Kim's performance, this Saturday at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas (DFP), will mark her debut with the MPO.
"I'm thrilled to perform Bruch's Violin Concerto with the MPO in Kuala Lumpur. I've heard about the warm, enthusiastic audiences here and it'll be my first time playing there, so I'm excited to share this experience together," the 35-year-old shared in an email interview with Groove.
She added: "Performing with new partners is always inspiring. I love how an orchestra and a soloist connect. I hope the audience feels the blend of deep emotions and technical refinement in the music that we are creating.
Kim, a regular guest at renowned music festivals across Europe and a prizewinner of many prestigious violin competitions, has been honoured with the Young Artist Award from the South Korean Ministry of Culture.
She has performed under acclaimed conductors such as Paavo Jarvi and Fabio Luisi, captivating audiences in Hong Kong, London, New York and Los Angeles with her exceptional musicality.
The MPO now joins the ranks of her illustrious orchestral collaborations, which include the New York Philharmonic, BBC Philharmonic, Vienna Symphony, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Netherlands Radio Orchestra and San Francisco Symphony.
Together with the MPO, Kim will enchant the DFP audience with Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1, a work celebrated for its brilliant lyricism. Completed in 1866, this piece opens with the MPO's vigorous and energetic musicianship before the soloist enters with a full, gypsy-like theme and virtuosic flair.
A distingushed career
In February 2021, Kim signed an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon in Berlin. Highlights of Kim's 2024/25 season include opening with the Philharmonia Orchestra under Santtu-Matias Rouvali, making her debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Fabio Luisi, and touring with the Bamberg Symphony and Jakub Hrusa in Germany and Asia.
She is also set to debut with the RSB Orchestra Berlin, the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, and at Wigmore Hall. Additionally, she will return to the Concertgebouw with the Netherlands Radio Orchestra and Ryan Bancroft, and to Hong Kong with Jarvi.
Recent career milestones include her debuts at the BBC Proms with the BBC Philharmonic and at the Hollywood Bowl with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
She has also toured with the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich and Jarvi, and made her debuts with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Pittsburgh Symphony, and the Spanish National Orchestra.
Kim has performed with the Vienna Symphony at the Vienna Konzerthaus and made her Concertgebouw debut with the Residentie Orchestra.
This highly experienced violinist is a regular guest at renowned festivals such as the Rheingau Musik Festival, Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, and Verbier Festival.
In 2021, she became the Focus Artist of the Rheingau Musik Festival and began a five-year residency at the Gstaad Menuhin Festival as a Menuhin's Heritage Artist.
Her discography with Deutsche Grammophon includes Violin on Stage with the NFM Wroclaw Philharmonic and a duo album with Rafal Blechacz featuring works by Faure, Debussy, Szymanowski, and Chopin, which won the Fryderyk Music Award for Best Polish Album Abroad.
Her latest recording of the Nielsen Violin Concerto with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra and Fabio Luisi won the 2024 Gramophone Award. Born in South Korea, Kim studied at Seoul National University with Young Uck Kim and at The Juilliard School with Sylvia Rosenberg and Ronald Copes.
Kim shared that watching fellow South Korean Kyung-Wha Chung at age 5 was a pivotal moment that deeply moved her and shaped her approach to music.
"Chung inspired me with her direct, emotional tone. I also learned from every great musician I've worked with; each collaboration has shaped my voice.
"Another moment was when performing Shostakovich Concerto in Montreal, the audience gasped at the cadenza. It was a breakthrough for me," explained Kim, who performs on the 1725 Guarnerius del Gesu violin 'ex-Moller', generously loaned by The Samsung Foundation of Culture and The Stradivari Society of Chicago.
Despite demanding schedule, Kim prioritises her fitness routines.
"I do yoga almost daily even while touring. it keeps my body flexible, prevents strain from long practices and helps me stay relaxed and focused," said Kim, who is a proponent of yoga, combining physical stretching with mental calm.
Beyond her physical wellbeing, she dedicates considerable time to rehearsals.
"I study rehearsals carefully, record them, and then mentally rehearse and imagine performing on stage.
"That preparation builds confidence. Before going on stage, I will calm myself, focusing on the mood of the opening piece. That mental space prepares me to swim freely in the music," she added.
t the upcoming concert, conductor Jaume Santonja returns to lead tha MPO for an evening of sweeping romanticism and passionate tonal colours.
The MPO will open the concert with Overture to Byron's 'Manfred', composed by Schumann and based on Byron's great dramatic poem.
In addition to the evening performance, Kim will host a violin masterclass on June 26 at 6pm at DFP for music enthusiasts.
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