UMass Boston

Harp , Piano , Composition , Music Theory , Music History , Chamber Music

DMA, Boston University, Harp Performance
MM, Yale University, Harp Performance
PGD, Royal Academy Of Music, Harp Performance
BA, Ewha University, Harp Performance

A multi-instrumentalist, being one of the very few in the world who you can see performing as a soloist with two instruments on the same stage with an orchestra, internationally acclaimed harpist, pianist, composer, and professor Dr. Chaerin Kim is the winner of several international competitions. She was the winner of the Special Prize of Best Performance of Russian Music at the International Harp Competition in Russia, winner of the Future Classic Women Award from the London Radio Station, the CFA Award and Department Honor Award from Boston University, the Garrett Award, Foundation Award, and Julia Leney Harp Prize in London, the Soloist Competition Winner at Ewha University, Kaywon School for the Arts, and Boston University, the Bronze Medalist for Solo Piano at the Walgan Music Competition, and winner of the Grand Prize from the Korean Student’s Newspaper.

She has been featured as a soloist on both instruments: Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2, Debussy Danses for Harp, Mozart’s Flute and Harp Concerto with UMB Orchestra, Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 with Boston Chamber Orchestra, the Ginastera Harp Concerto with BU Symphony Orchestra, Ginastera Harp Concerto with Seongnam Philharmonic, a Guest Soloist of the International Music Festival broadcast live in Korea, Ravel’s Introduction and Allegro and Debussy’s Danses with Yonsei Sinfonietta, and the Pierne Harp Concerto with EU Orchestra. Her harp performance has been used for the British movie Kaleidoscope (Main actor Toby Jones), which was the winner of Best Performance at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. 

As a composer, her composition, Rendezvous, has 92 versions, including versions for orchestra, harp, piano, and voice, with lyrics written by her and translated into 80 different languages, and the orchestral version of Rendezvous had its world premiere in Boston, Massachusetts. Most recently, she was nominated for and awarded the Future Classic Women Award through the London Radio Station, who interviewed her twice, and also interviewed with WCPE Radio in the U.S. 

Kim’s musical studies began when she was six years old. She majored in piano at the Yewon Music Middle School, while also beginning studies in cello and voice. After Yewon, she went on to attend Kaywon High School of Arts, where she continued to major in piano. In her last year, at the age of eighteen, she also started lessons on harp, and six months later won the Soloist Audition for Harp. She received her B.A. with Highest Honors from Ewha University in Seoul – then, while pursuing her master’s degree at Ewha, she was offered a scholarship for a PGD at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where she graduated with “distinction.” She got her M.M. from Yale University on a scholarship, graduating summa cum laude. She was invited to the Artist’s Diploma program at Yale and Graduate Diploma Program at New England Conservatory – however, she decided to pursue her doctorate at Boston University, where she was offered a full scholarship. She was the “quickest recipient of a Doctorate” in BU Music School’s history, completing it in three and a half years.

As a contest judge and jury, Dr. Kim was the artistic director of the USA International Music Competition in 2010, and in 2021, she is judging at 9 international competitions for both harp and piano: the Music International Grand Prix in New York for piano, the King’s Peak International Music Competition in California for piano and harp, the World Vision Music Contest in Germany for piano and harp, the Grand Metropolitan International Music Competition in Canada, IX JS Fest International Instrumental Music Competition in Finland, the Music Modern in Uzbekistan, International Competition in Serbia, Danubia Talents International Competition in Hungary, the Musical South Palmyra in Uzbekistan, and the Wonder Key’s International Piano Competition in Germany. Dr. Kim was formerly a professor at Eastern Nazarene College, where she taught harp, piano, music theory and music history classes, and was also the former Head of the Harp Department at Adagio Music Academy and South Shore Conservatory. Currently, she is an artistic director of UIMC, an artist with the TTF Entertainment company in China, and a professor of both instruments; harp and piano at University of Massachusetts Boston, Schloss Akademie in Germany, and harp through the Office of Arts at Harvard University.

Teaching Positions

Piano and Harp Faculty at Schloss Akademie in Germany (Jan 2021 – Present)
Artist at TTF Entertainment Company in China (Dec 2020 – Present)
Piano Faculty at University of Massachusetts Boston (January 2014 – Present)
Harp Faculty at University of Massachusetts Boston (January 2012 – Present)
Undergraduate Harp Instructor at Harvard University (September 2010 – Present)
Artistic Director of the USA International Music Competition (September 2009 – Present)
Harp and Piano Faculty at Eastern Nazarene College (January 2012 – August 2018)
Harp Faculty at Youth and Muse International Music Festival (August 2012)
Harp Department Chair at South Shore Conservatory (2009 – 2013)
Composition, Piano, and Harp Teacher at Beech Knoll School (2011 – 2013)
Education Consultant of the Musical Journey II (2009 – 2010)
Head of the Harp Department; Member of the Piano Faculty at Adagio Music Academy (2009)
Teaching Assistant at Boston University (2008)
Teaching Assistant at Yale University (2005)

International Competition Judge

Music International Grand Prix 2021 in New York
World Vision Music Contest 2021 in Germany
King’s Peak International Music Competition 2021 in California
Grand Metropolitan International Music Competition 2021 in Canada
USA International Music Competition 2010 in Boston/ Artistic Director
IX JS Fest International Instrumental Music Competition 2022 in Finland
Music Modern 2021 in Uzbekistan
International Competition 2021 in Serbia
Danubia Talents International Competition 2021 in Hungary
Musical South Palmyra 2021 in Uzbekistan

Awards and Prizes

Winner of the Future Classic Women Award from the London Radio Station (2020)
Winner of the Soloist Competition at Boston University (2008)
Recipient of the Department Honor Award at Boston University (2008)
A Special Prize Winner of the Best Performance in Russian Music Diploma for the Musical Skills from the International Harp Competition in Moscow, Russia (2005)
Recipient of the CFA Award, Boston, U.S.A (2005)
Winner of the M.A. Garrett Award, London, England (2003)
Winner of the Foundation Award, London, England (2002)
Winner of the Julia Leney Harp Prize, London, England (2002)
Winner of the Soloist Competition at Ewha University (1998)
Winner of the Soloist Competition at Kaywon High School (1996)
Grand Prize of Korean Student’s Newspaper Music Competition as a Solo Pianist, Seoul, Korea (1989)
Walgan Music Competition Bronze Medalist as a Solo Pianist, Seoul, Korea (1987)