“Because of the wonderful faculty, I am motivated to keep learning and concentrate on developing myself and my music.”
Sunmin Kim '23 began to play the piano at age 10 and by high school had won numerous national competitions in Korea as well as international competitions. After graduating, he came to Boston from Korea to attend NEC and study with HaeSun Paik. “I chose NEC because I feel that everyone—including students, faculty, and staff— has an open mind toward and appreciation for music,” he said.
In 2021, Sunmin won the NEC Piano Honors Competition and was a finalist in the Concerto Competition. He says that working with the faculty at NEC has been critical for his growth as a musician. “Because of the wonderful faculty, I am motivated to keep learning and concentrate on developing myself and my music,” he said.
Sunmin is also a choral composer and publishes his work with one of Korea’s largest choral music publishers, J&A Music. He considers music to be a universal language and said, “Music changed my life. I can communicate via music with other people, which is a really rewarding and wonderful opportunity for me as an international student. I want to express my stories through music that can impact other people's hearts, minds, and lives.”
Sunmin Kim is the recipient of a scholarship made possible by the Tan Family Education Foundation.
You can inspire other student musicians like Sunmin with a gift to The NEC Fund