Praised for her poetic and dramatic interpretations, New York-based Korean pianist Yoojung Kim is a versatile improviser, arranger, music director, educator, chamber musician and collaborator. For her debut album on the Steinway & Sons label, she presents a captivating collection of improvisatory piano pieces.

"Midnight Monologues" is an evocative collection of seven miniature improvisatory piano pieces where the piano becomes a storyteller of the night

In the late hours of 2011 and 2012, after long days of work, I sought solace at the piano, my creative confidant. I poured my innermost thoughts and expressions into spontaneous piano improvisations. These moments were brief yet deeply personal, a way to express emotions too complex for words. It captured raw honesty and vulnerability through the music and became my journal-- written with my fingers on the keys, and kept by recording it on the voice memo app on my phone.

For over a decade, these recordings remained a private treasure, a silent witness to moments long past. Recently, I rediscovered them with fresh ears and a newfound desire to share their essence. It was like uncovering a time capsule, hearing echoes of my former self in every note.  Now, shaped by growth and experience I have revisited these intimate moments, and infused them with new life and perspective.

Midnight Monologues is more than just a collection of musical pieces; it's a journey through time. Join me in the quiet of night, where every note tells a story and every melody whispers a secret. Midnight Monologues is a reflection of the past, a celebration of the present, and a reminder that some stories are best told through music.
— Yoojung Kim

“Kim gets highest marks for poetry and interpretive insights.”

Atlanta Audio
 

“A virtuoso technique…prevalent beauty and poetry…a firm grasp of the music’s architecture. Yoojung  Kim possesses all of the necessary attributes.”

Fanfare
 

Album Credits

Midnight Monologues / Yoojung Kim • STNS 30240

Release Date: 07/05/2024

Recorded April 11 & 12, 2024 at Samurai Hotel Recording Studio, Astoria, New York

Producer: Yoojung Kim

Recording Engineer:  David Stroller

Mastering: Andreas K. Meyer

Executive Producers: Eric Feidner, Jon Feidner

Art Direction: Jackie Fugere

Design: Zoe Dyck

Photographs of Yoojung Kim: Lisa-Marie Mazzucco          

Project Coordinator: Renée Oakford
Piano Technician:  Kazuya Tsujio
Piano: Steinway Model D  #131601

About the Artist

Praised for her poetic and dramatic interpretation, New York-based pianist Yoojung Kim is a versatile pianist, improviser, arranger, music director, educator, chamber musician, and collaborator.

Yoojung Kim has garnered critical acclaim for her recent recording release of Scriabin's piano works on the Bridge Records label and received the American Record Guide Critics' Choice Award, 2023. According to the American Record Guide Review (2023), “Yoojung Kim stands out..with Scriabin that is technically rock-solid and well-balanced between the exciting virtuosic moments and the lyrical ones.” 

Yoojung Kim has performed with renowned orchestras, including the Prague Symphony Chamber Orchestra, Wiener Mozart Orchestra, and Korean Symphony Orchestra, and appeared on prestigious stages such as Wigmore Hall (London), Konzerthaus (Vienna), Smetana Hall (Prague), Seoul Arts Center (Seoul), Merkin Hall, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, and Steinway Hall.

A passionate chamber musician and collaborator, she has performed with members of the New York Philharmonic, and collaborated with distinguished artists such as Yehudi Menuhin, Albert Markov, Tania León, Mignon Dunn, among many others. She is active internationally as a musical director and entrepreneur. She directed an annual summer concert series at the Raum Arts Center (Seoul), and a piano showcase involving multiple venues in New York City in collaboration with Make Music New York Winter Festival, Steinway & Sons, and Music Traveler, for which she serves as an ambassador. She is the founder and music director of MusicY Creative, a creative performance and educational platform. She is also in demand as an educator, recently presenting masterclasses at Steinway Hall, Sangmyung University (Seoul), and Villa Sandra Piano Academy (Verbania).

A student of Nikolai Demidenko and Ruth Nye at the Yehudi Menuhin School, Yoojung Kim was awarded the Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother Scholarship for undergraduate study at the Royal College of Music. She holds a Master’s degree in solo piano performance, a Professional Studies certificate in Collaborative Piano from the Manhattan School of Music, and a Ph.D. degree in Piano Performance from NYU Steinhardt.

Yoojung Kim, a Steinway Artist, is currently a member of the Artist Faculty in Piano Studies at NYU Steinhardt. 

About Steinway & Sons label

The STEINWAY & SONS music label produces exceptional albums of solo piano music across all genres. The label — a division of STEINWAY & SONS, maker of the world’s finest pianos — is a perfect vessel for producing the finest quality recordings by some of the most talented pianists in the world.