Just last summer, she performed with our own chief conductor Anja Bihlmaier at the world-famous BBC Proms: South Korea's top violinist Bomsori Kim (b. 1989). Now she makes her debut in the Netherlands on Nov. 10 in Tchaikovsky's iconic Violin Concerto ."I am eagerly looking forward to my upcoming performance with the Residentie Orkest."

Not many people know at age five what they want to be later, but for Bomsori Kim it was clear at once. At a concert by compatriot Kyung Wha Chung, she was enchanted by the sound of the violin. She wanted that too, though she soon realized that the violin is not an easy instrument. "I vividly remember the shock I got from the strange sound I was making. That was not what I wanted and I soon realized that the violin is not an instrument that produces sounds effortlessly and smoothly."

Tchaikovsky
Studying hard at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York and penetrating finals of such international violin competitions as the Queen Elizabeth Competition and the Tchaikovsky International Competition, among others, did transform that initial, strange sound. Now praised for her virtuosity, clarity and warm and rich tone, Kim knows how to take the most famous violin concertos to unprecedented levels. But Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto holds a special place in her heart: "This was the first concerto I wanted to perform with an orchestra, which eventually led me to pursue a career as a soloist. Tchaikovsky's extraordinary ability to create melodies is second to none, and the way the soloist interacts with the orchestra in this concerto is incredibly satisfying. It is challenging to put into words, but the emotional depth in his music creates a deep sense of catharsis when I play it. With each performance, I experience a greater and greater sense of freedom and am able to express myself even more fully through his music."

Dutch debut
Not surprisingly, she travels the world performing with world-class orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, London Philharmonic and the NDR Radiophilharmonie. With her 1725 Guarnerius del Gesù violin, she is coming to The Hague on November 10. "I am eagerly looking forward to my upcoming performance with the Residentie Orkest at Amare and at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw a day later. This marks my debut in the Netherlands and I am particularly excited to work with an orchestra that has an excellent reputation. The Netherlands has long been a dream location for me to perform, thanks to its renowned musical heritage, fantastic concert halls and exceptional musicians."