Young Steinway Artist award winning pianist Kimberly Han performs works by Bach, Haydn, and Chopin live under the Tiffany glass dome of the Chicago Cultural Center for this Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert broadcast.
Kimberly Han, 18-year-old pianist and violinist, is from Lake Forest, Illinois of USA. She was recently awarded the revered “Young Steinway Artist” title (ages 16-35 years old young pianists) by the International Steinway & Sons. Kimberly is also a 2016-2018 Lang Lang Young Scholar, a three-year (2016-2019) full scholarship recipient of Chopin Foundation of the United States, and 2017/2016 National YoungArts Foundation winner. She started piano lessons when she was five and a half years old, and is currently studying with Alexander Korsantia (New England Conservatory) and Brenda Huang (Music Institute of Chicago).
A rising Freshman of Class of 2023 at Yale University, Kimberly is a frequent award-winner in many music events – Winner of 2018 Fox Valley Orchestra Concerto Competition, 2nd place winner of 2017 Emilio del Rosario Concerto Competition, National 2nd place winner/East Central Division & Illinois State winner of 2019 MTNA Senior Performance and 2017 MTNA Senior Duet Competition, National Finalist/East Central Division & Illinois State winner of 2016 MTNA Junior Competition, 2017/2015/2014/2013 Walgreens National Concerto Competition Winner, Winner of 2015 Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) Youth Audition in March 2015, and Winner of CSO “Carnival of the Animals” Audition in January 2015, Piano Winner of 2014 11th DePaul Concerto Festival, First Place winner of 2013 15th Chopin Youth Piano Competition, along with many more.
As a solo pianist and chamber musician, Kimberly has performed in L’Auditori of Barcelona, Spain, Carnegie Hall (Stern Auditorium/Perleman Stage, and Weill Recital Hall), Orchestra Hall of Chicago Symphony Center, Preston Bradley Hall of Chicago Cultural Center, DePaul Concert Hall, Bennett-Gordon Hall of Ravinia Festival, and Pick-Staiger Concert Hall of Northwestern University.
Kimberly had her concert debut with Oistrach Symphony Orchestra performing Felix Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor in February 2014. In March 2015, Kimberly performed Saint-Saens’ “Carnival of Animals” as solo pianist with Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) during guest conductor, Vladimir Kulenovic’s debut conducting the CSO. She has been invited to perform Manuel de Falla’s “Nights in the Gardens of Spain” as a soloist with the CSO again in April 2016 as the winner of 2015 CSO Youth Concerto Competition. Over the past two years, Kimberly performed with Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lake Forest Symphony, Midwest Young Artists (MYA) Symphony Orchestra, Kankakee Valley Symphony Orchestra, Lake Forest Civic Orchestra, MostArts Festival Symphony Orchestra, Napolinova Youth Orchestra (Italy), Highland Park Strings, Fox Valley Orchestra, and The New North Shore Chamber Orchestra.
Kimberly was featured as a pre-college young pianist on WFMT 98.7FM “Introductions” seven times since January 2015 and on NPR “From the Top” (Feb 2018). She was also selected by Lang Lang International Music Foundation to participate in the second Allianz Junior Music Camp in Barcelona, Spain in November 2014. In September 2015, The North Shore Journal featured Kimberly as a young musician in the “Standout Student” column.
In her free time, Kimberly loves playing violin with the MYAC Symphony Orchestra / her chamber ensemble / school symphony orchestra, reading and traveling around the world with her family. To give back to the community, Kimberly also performs extensively in the retirement centers across the Chicagoland, and teaches violin to kids from unprivileged districts as a participant in MYA Young Music Scholar program.
Kimberly would like to thank her inspirational teachers Alexander Korsantia and Brenda Huang for coaching her discipline, dedication and love for classical music; The Lang Lang International Music Foundation, Allianz, Dr. Allan Dennis, Robert Bassill, and the MYA staff for providing her the great opportunity to grow as a young musician; her parents and all of her friends for their continuous support and encouragement.
Biography and photograph courtesy of IMF Chicago.