So-Ock Kim

Born in Seoul in 1982, So-Ock Kim moved to London at the age of three. At 15, she was the youngest ever winner of the gold medal in the prestigious Shell/LSO Competition playing the Tchaikovsky concerto with the London Symphony Orchestra in the Barbican Hall. At 19, So-Ock was selected for the Young Concert Artists Trust. Her teachers have included Itzhak Rashkovsky, Felix Andrievsky and David Takeno.

So-Ock has given numerous critically acclaimed performances around the world and at the Wigmore Hall, Royal Festival Hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall in London. Abroad she has comprehensively toured throughout Asia, Europe and the US, performing concertos and recitals in the various international music festivals, such as Schleswig Holstein, Beethoven Festival, Warsaw, Ravinia and Aldeburgh. Many of her performances have been broadcast on radio and television worldwide, including the BBC, ABC, Radio France, RAI, KBS, Polish Radio and Classic FM.

So-Ock has recently given numerous acclaimed international performances including the Brahms Concerto with the Philharmonia Orchestra, Tchaikovsky Concerto with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, tours with the Belgrade Philharmonic, Seoul Philharmonic, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and the Orchestre Nationale de Montpellier.

So-Ock has a keen interest in the performance of new works and has given several World Premieres that have been recorded for Universal (France and Korea) and Naxos. Future concerts include concertos with the RPO and Leonard Slatkin, Philharmonia Orchestra and Vladimir Ashkenazy, Mexico State Orchestra and Enrique Batiz and the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra playing the Penderecki Violin Concerto no.2 by invitation from the composer and President of Poland. Her first worldwide recordings are due for release in early 2008 with the Philharmonia Orchestra on the Sony/BMG label.

So-Ock plays a 1666 Antonius Stradivarius kindly loaned to her by an anonymous donor.

More information on So-ock can be obtainted from her website www.soockkim.com

September 2012 will see So-Ock Kim's second appearance with Milton Keynes City Orchestra, her first in September 2007. So-Ock performed Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto as part of 'Fond Farewell', Hilary Davan Wetton's last concert as Principal Conductor of the Orchestra. The Orchestra is delighted to welcome her back to perform Walton's Violin Concerto at The Royal Salute. For more information on this concert and to book tickets please contact the Orchestra's box office on 01908 558311