Hong-Jae Kim

Infobox Korean name
hangul = 김홍재
hanja = 金洪才
rr = Gim Hong-jae
mr = Kim Hong-jae

Hong-Jae Kim (born October 10, 1954, Itami, Japan) is a Korean-Japanese(Zainichi) conductor.

Early Ages

His first experience of music was upright piano at his mother's maiden home in early age. In 1967, he entered Amagasaki Korean Middle School and studied clarinet in school band. He also studied improved Korean folk instruments sent from North Korea. In 1969, School Band of Amagasaki Korean Middle School won a grand prize of 'Competition of Korean Students resident in Japan' under his direction.

In 1973, Kim entered Toho Gakuen School of Music as a first 'Korean' nationality. He changed his clarinet major to conducting with Ken Takaseki and Naoto Otomo in 1975. Until his graduation in 1977, he joined the classes of Seiji Ozawa, Kazuyoshi Akiyama, Tadashi Mori and Shunsaku Tsutsumi. With Tsutsumi's recommendation, he appointed resident conductor of Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra when he studied in Toho. In 1977, he conducted Toho Orchestra with Seiji Ozawa on podium of Toho Gakuen's graduation concert.

Début, Competition & TV Concerts

After graduation, Kim was début officially with Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra in March 22, 1978 at Shibuya Public Hall, Tokyo. This concert, titled 'Special Concert of (North) Korean Orchestral Works' was sensational response-not only a first conductor of 'Korean' nationality but all works premièred in Japan.

Following this year, he participated Tokyo International Conductors' Competition and took second prize with special prize named after Hideo Saito. In this year, he was invited of North Korea and conducted the State Symphony Orchestra of DPRK. In 1980, he conducted the concerts of prizewinners from Hokkaidō to Kyusyu.

Kim was appointed conductor of television program titled 'Here comes the orchestra' of Tokyo Broadcasting System(TBS) with Kazushi Ono and Deryck Inoue in 1980. Following this year, he conducted other television program titled 'My Concert' of Nippon Television(NTV). In these two years, he conducted numerous works from Bach to Shostakovich and accompanied many well-known soloists including Hiroko Nakamura, Mitsuko Uchida, Toshia Eto, Ko Iwasaki, Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Mikhail Pletnev with two regular orchestras-New Japan Philharmonic and Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra-and other cities' orchestras.

In 1981, Kim became principal guest conductor of Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra. His other important positions were principal guest conductor of Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra since 1985 and principal guest conductor of Kyoto Symphony Orchestra since 1987. He toured with Kyoto Symphony Orchestra in Pyongyang and Wonsan-first appearance of Japan's orchestra in North Korea-in 1987. He also appeared in Beijing with China Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra (now China Philharmonic Orchestra) in 1988.

Meets with Isang Yun

Kim met the composer Isang Yun in 1986 and became admirer of his music. He conducted first of Yun's work "Exemplum, in memoriam Kwangju" on stage of '1st Hankyore Concert' in April 1989. He resigned three orchestras' positions and went to Germany in September. He studied about Yun's works with composer himself.

In 1990, he participated 'Pan-Nation Unification Concert' held in Pyongyang and conducted Yun's "Fanfare und Memorial" in presence of composer. And in 1992, Kim appeared of '75th Birthday Celebration Festival of Isang Yun' held in Tokyo and conducted Yun's "Third Symphony"'s premiere of Japan. He premièred over 10 works of Yun in Japan and praised highly by composer.

Crossover, Hankyore Concert & other appearances

Kim's activities not only formal classical concerts but crossover and concert of Korean resident in Japan including 'Hankyore Concert(1989-1993)'. He introduced many North and South Korean songs and orchestral works in these concerts produced by his maternal uncle Cheol-Woo Lee. The 8th Hankyore Concert held in Carnegie Hall of New York City on September 1992 and it also Kim's début concert in USA.

He also met Joe Hisaishi, who is well-known composer of Hayao Miyazaki and Takeshi Kitano's film music, and appeared many concerts together since 1991. Kim also conducted crossover concerts with Jazz musicians including Aiko Takahashi and Terumasa Hino. And he conducted many concert bands in Japan including Osaka Municipal Symphonic Band as a principal conductor between 1991 to 1994 and Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra.

In 1998, he conducted opening ceremony of 7th Winter Paralympic Games held in Nagano(produced by Hisaishi). Following this appearance, he received music prize named after Akeo Watanabe and became only one who took two grand prizes for Japanese conductor at that time.

First Appearance in South Korea

Hong-Jae Kim and South Korean violinist Chan-Woo Jeong held a concert named 'Unity Concert' in June 2000. This concert was planned already in 1985, but South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not approved of Jeong's departure to Japan. Because South Korean governments misunderstood Kim's nationality as 'North Korea'.

For that reason, this concert was famous event not only Korean society resident in Japan but South Korea. In October 2000, he entered first time into South Korea and appeared ASEM Music Festival held in Seoul. He conducted Isang Yun's "Muak" and Asian premiere of Ferruccio Busoni's Piano Concerto with well-known pianist Geon-Woo Baek(Kun-Woo Paik) and KBS Symphony Orchestra.

By this time, Kim conducted nearly all orchestras of Japan except NHK Symphony Orchestra. He conducts not only professional but orchestras of university, citizens and other amateur orchestras and concert bands. And he appeared several concerts of KBS Symphony Orchestra, Korean Symphony Orchestra and National Orchestra of Korea in South Korea.

Since November 2007, Kim appointed his very first position in South Korea as a principal conductor of Ulsan Symphony Orchestra.

Bibliography & Sources

* "Hong-Jae Kim, I Conducts Fate (김홍재, 나는 운명을 지휘한다)" by Hong-Jae Kim (dictate) & Seong-Mi Park (editor), Gimm-Young Publishers, Inc. (Korean only) ISBN 89-349-0618-9

Links

* [http://www.solesuite.com/kimhongje/ Official Homepage] jp icon