Kumho Art Hall this week begins its 2018 Rising Star Series, a classical music program dedicated to introducing Korea’s young talents.

Starting with a recital Thursday featuring James Kim, the first prize winner of the 2006 International David Popper Cello Competition, Kumho Art Hall will highlight two other young artists -- pianist Shin Chang-yong and violinist Kim Gye-hee.

Cellist Kim has given solo recitals organized by New York classical music radio station WQXR’s Midday Masterpieces Series and Chamber Music Encounters of Lincoln Center.

Kim’s Carnegie Weill Hall recital debut in 2013 received rave reviews as well, including a review by the late Harris Goldsmith, a US-based pianist and music critique.

Cellist Kim will play musical works by Locatelli, Beethoven, Penderecki and Shostakovich. The program will close with Bohuslav Martinu’s Variations on a Theme of Rossini for Cello and Piano, H.290.

Kim will perform on a 1715 Matteo Goffriller cello, loaned by the Samsung Foundation of Culture of Korea and the Stradivari Society of Chicago.

Following the Kumho Art Hall recital, Kim is scheduled to perform at the White House and Carnegie Hall, in February and March, respectively. 

Korean pianist Shin Chang-yong is the highlight of the second concert of the Kumho Art Hall’s series.

Shin made his name by winning the 2016 Hilton Head International Piano Competition. Kim made his Carnegie Hall debut in the same year, performing works by Beethoven, Bach, Granados, Prokofiev and Chin Un-suk.

For the concert scheduled on Feb. 1, pianist Shin will perform Bach’s Toccata for Keyboard in D Major, BWV912 and Beethovens, works that are also included in his latest album released Friday. Kim will also perform works by Liszt and Rachmaninoff during the Kumho concert. 

The last concert of the 2018 Rising Star Series will be performed by violinist Kim Gye-hee, the first prize winner of the 2016 George Enescu Competition. Violinist Kim won the first prize at the Munetsugu Angel Violin Competition in 2017.

Kim currently studies at Seoul National University under Kim Young-uck.

For the Rising Star Series recital, violinist Kim will perform works by Hindemith, Beethoven, Prokofiev and Camille Saint-Saens, at Kumho Art Hall on Feb. 22.

On Feb.13, violinist Kim will perform in a joint music performance with violinist Sarah Chang and other string musicians at Seoul Arts Center.

By Shim Woo-hyun (ws@heraldcorp.com)