Paul Kim

Paul Kim picked up the cello at four years of age after watching his older siblings taking lessons on the piano and violin. He began with Suzuki instruction in the DC area, working his way through Book Four before eventually enrolling at the Peabody Institute’s Preparatory Division in Baltimore. Transitioning to traditional solo studies under Paula Skolnick-Childress, he also undertook chamber studies with the Peabody Trio and orchestral studies with Rebecca Henry and Gene Young. As a member of the Peabody Sinfonia, he had the opportunity to tour Germany, The Netherlands, and Belgium. 

While earning his BM in Music Production and Engineering at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Paul’s solo cello studies continued under Eugene Friesen, branching out beyond classical music into jazz, blues, and folk traditions. Ensemble and orchestral work with Friesen, Mimi Rabson, and Mitch Haupers, as well as studio session work, allowed him to explore contemporary styles and free improvisation.

Suzuki-certified for cello through Book 5, Paul has been inspiring a passion for the instrument in his students since 2014, and hopes to have them see possibilities within and without the classical realm.