From Korea to Australia, to Europe and back to Australia, Grace Kim has carved out an impressive career as concert pianist, teacher, artistic director, adjudicator and mentor to students.
Born in Seoul, Korea, Grace came to Australia with her family at the age of nine. In Korea, her mother sang and played guitar for the children at the US Army base stationed at the 38th Parallel. As the country was recovering from the Korean War her mother did not get a chance to learn any instruments formally. She taught herself to play piano at the local church and later as an adult, took piano lessons for a year after Grace was born. Then, as Grace describes “She passed her teacher onto me”.
Grace describes her early years as a “free range childhood in the sense that I was never pressured to become a pianist” and was never under any pressure to play an instrument. However, Grace quickly gravitated to the piano. Throughout her primary and high school years, Grace was delegated to the role of resident piano player at assemblies playing the school song and the National Anthem, and was often called out of class by the principal to play for visitors. Her parents gave their full support and trust to her teachers and allowed Grace the freedom to explore and grow. “I think that, for me, was an excellent fertiliser. This meant I could fully embrace and learn from my failures as well as successes.”
Like many music students, Grace went through the AMEB system and obtained all the diplomas - A.Mus and L.Mus A and F.Mus A at a young age. From an early age, Grace participated in competitions and eisteddfods and was successful in many. Among the numerous international and national prizes she has collected over the years, Grace was prize-winner of the Citta di Marsala International Piano Competition (1993), the Bellini International Piano Competition (Italy) in 2004, and National Keyboard Winner of the 2000 Symphony Australia Young Performers Award, also receiving the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Trust.
When she graduated from the Sydney Conservatorium in 1999, ANAM was a brand-new institution that promised to be a bridge to the big, international music world. In the beginning ANAM only offered short programs, for a small number of students. “It was very special to be selected to participate, as competition was fierce!”
Grace participated in all the piano and chamber music programs, and three years of Advanced Performance programs where, in the final year, she was made the Inaugural Performance Fellow (2002). Her most memorable concert was during the ANAM 2000 National Tour in Darwin. “The audience there was so enthusiastic, we could feel them soaking up every note … there was such electrifying energy between us and the audience. We felt so much appreciation and love!!”
Her years at ANAM prepared Grace for professional life as a musician. “I learnt by DOING. We were given opportunities to try anything and everything musically. In my final Fellow year, I could curate my own projects. The most important takeaway for me in those years is the group of special people I shared this time with”. During her ANAM period, Grace also met her future husband, Teije Hylkema, a Dutch cellist, at the Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition.
When asked what advice she would give to young persons as they begin their ANAM studies, Grace quickly answers: “PRACTISE!!!”
After ANAM, Grace undertook a Master’s Degree of Music at Melbourne University (later followed up with a second Master’s Degree of Music, from Rotterdam Conservatorium (Cum Laude).
Grace describes herself as “blessed with amazing teachers and mentors throughout my life. Each teacher has made an impact in my development as a musician and artist”. Her first teacher in Sydney was Professor Kyunghee Lee who took her under her wing and nurtured her like her own daughter until Grace was 16. Then Grace met Dr. Paul Rickard-Ford, who really believed in her and created every possible opportunity for her to grow as a pianist. Her ANAM years thereafter were the most intense and stimulating period - “I never practised so hard in my life than in those practise rooms!!”. Professor Frank Wibaut was the director at the time and he introduced ANAM students to a wide network of international teachers, including the late Professor Aquiles Delle Vigne, with whom Grace had a deep musical connection, both in Australia and later in Europe. Her Masters years at Melbourne University was under the guidance of Associate Professor Stephen McIntyre, who has remained very supportive to this day.
Whilst at Melbourne University Grace applied for scholarships to go overseas. She was awarded the Churchill Fellowship, the Huygens Scholarship and the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust Overseas Music Scholarship, among others, which enabled her to travel to The Netherlands. Grace acknowledges that her Melbourne years – at ANAM and at Melbourne University - had prepared her well for a rich fulfilling performing career in Europe where she spent eight years based in the Netherlands but performing also in France, Germany and Italy.
Whilst equally at home performing with an orchestra or in recital, Grace found that, in Europe, she was able to fully develop her passion for chamber music. In 2007/08 she was the Artistic Director of the Summer Concert Series in the celebrated Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. With her husband Teije they formed the Odyssey Piano Trio, in 2011 recording the complete Mendelssohn Piano trios. Amongst the many highlights of her time in Europe, in 2006 Grace performed before Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands and Australian Governor-General Major General Michael Jeffery at the 400th anniversary celebrations of Dutch-Australian contact.
During her many years based in the Netherlands, Grace returned to Australia on an annual basis for recitals and concerts and maintained a decade-long position as Artist-in-Residence (later Pianist-in-Residence) in Shepparton (VIC).
In 2014 Grace and her family returned to Australia. In addition to being a concert pianist and chamber musician, Grace currently teaches in the Rising Stars Program at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. She is also an artistic director, adjudicator and mentor to students via University of Melbourne’s Ask Alumni and Access Connect programs.
A mother of two young children, Grace is an advocate for quality music education. She founded Sensory Concerts® to provide quality classical music concerts for children and adults with sensory needs, commonly associated with autism and ADHD. For Grace, this project demonstrates the true meaning and power of music. In 2018, Grace also made her debut as an author, with Noah's Story written together with her son, about life with Asperger's Syndrome. In 2021 she started her thesis research on sensory-friendly elements in music at The MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development.
“I feel that all my training and experiences have led me to this point, where I can use music to make a positive impact in our community.”
When asked about her favourite piece of music, Grace replied that “Asking a musician this question is always tricky!! I can’t really say… ”. But she admits that, “Whenever I feel the need, I turn to the First Prelude from Bach’s Well-tempered Clavier Bk1. Playing this piece helps to focus and reset the mind and body.”
Find out more about Grace’s books, research, CDs and upcoming performances at: www.gracekim.com.au
Interview by Hugh Hallard (ANAM Volunteer)
Profile last updated May 2022
Photo Credit: David Hill, Deep Hill Media