Yun Kim, Organist/Choirmaster
Yun Kyong Kim came to Christ Church in 2000, first as organist only, and assumed her combined duties in June 2003. She was born in Korea and moved to the United States at the age of sixteen.
Yun received her Doctoral degree in organ performance in 2005 from Indiana University with minors in early music and music theory, where her principal teachers were Christopher Young (organ) and Elisabeth Wright (harpsichord). She holds a Master of Music degree from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Washington, where she studied organ with Carole Terry and piano with Robin McCabe. She has also studied and performed in North Germany and France, and made her French debut in Paris at Basilique Sainte-Clotilde in 1997.
Yun was active in local, national and international organ competitions during her collegiate career. She was awarded First Prize at the 1993 Northwest Regional Competition for Young Organists, and won Third Prize at the prestigious 2000 American Guild of Organists’ National Young Artists Competition in Organ Performance at the AGO National Convention in Seattle.
Yun is in demand as a solo organ and harpsichord recitalist, and takes great care in preparing and presenting programs of great musical interest and variety for all audiences. Recent performances include recitals at Washington National Cathedral and for the National Convention of the Organ Historical Society. She has also performed with several instrumental and choral ensembles, including the Pro Arte Singers with Paul Hillier and the Bach Society of Dayton. Her performances have been heard on Seattle Public Radio’s From the Organ Loft program and on Dayton Public Radio.
Yun is a past Dean of the Dayton Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. In other service to the Guild, she has served on the faculty of the Pipe Organ Encounter at Ohio University and has chaired the Dayton Church Music Workshop. She is also an active member of the Organ Historical Society. Yun was an associate instructor of piano for five years while at Indiana University, and is currently instructor of organ and harpsichord at Sinclair Community College in Dayton.
In 2005, Yun released Pops & Pipes!, the first commercial recording made of the organ at Christ Church. The CD features fun and familiar music for organ, and includes the world premiere of complete organ transcription of Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns. The CD is available nationally through the Organ Historical Society and Gothic Catalogs, or may be purchased directly through the church office.
Listen to Yun in the following sample recordings:
J.S. Bach (1685-1750): Prelude and Fugue in C Major, BWV 547 [Listen]
Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, Seattle (Live performance, July 2000)
Alexandre Guilmant (1837-1911): Finale from Morceau de Concert, Op. 24 [Listen]
Washington National Cathedral (Live performance, August 2006)
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921): Adagio from Symphony No. 3 [Listen]
Arranged for organ and cello by Yun Kyong Kim
Jeffrey Schoyen, cello
Christ Episcopal Church, Dayton (from Pops and Pipes!)