• Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance, Candidate 2010, University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music, expected degree 2011
• Aspen Music Festival and School, Aspen Colorado, June-August 2005
• Master of Music in Piano Performance, San Francisco Conservatory of Music 2003
• Bachelor of Arts in Music Education and Piano Performance, University of California, Los Angeles 2000

Ms. Kristal Kim teaches piano privately to students of intermediate and advance levels in San Jose, CA. She is currently a candidate for a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at University of Cincinnati, College Conservatory of Music, majoring in piano performance and minoring in music theory. Originally from the bay area, Ms. Kim had just moved back to California, and has opened a studio in San Jose.

Born and raised in South Korea, Ms. Kristal Kim started music studies at the age of eight. During the first year of her studies, she received the fourth place at the National Korean Piano Competition, which served as a starting point for her career as a pianist. After she immigrated to U.S., she continued her study at the preparatory division of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music under Ms. Tomoko Hagiwara. She won local competitions and Honorary Scholarships at the Conservatory. She performed in many different venues, as a solo recitalist, in chamber ensembles, and as the winner of the Annual Concerto Competition with the Marin Symphony Youth Orchestra, successively in the year 1995 and 1996.

For her undergrad studies, Ms. Kim attended UCLA, where she originally intended to study pre-med. After two years, however, she reaffirmed her passion for music and started studying privately with Mr. Walter Ponce as a music major and began performing again. Along with performing, she also studied piano pedagogy and extensive music education courses which enabled her to gain extensive knowledge and experience in teaching children. She continued to pursue her master's degree at the SF Conservatory of Music, under private instruction of Mr. Mack McCray and performed actively as a soloist, accompanist, and chamber ensemble pianist. She had also studied privately with Mrs. Sharon Mann, Mr. Eugene Pridonoff, and Mrs. Elizabeth Pridonoff, and played in master classes given by Mr. John Perry, Mr. Boris Berman, and Mr. Andrew Cooperstock.

Before she had moved to Cincinnati for her DMA, Ms. Kim had worked for American Conservatory of Theatre and the San Francisco Boys Choir as an accompanist and theory instructor, and led a private piano studio in San Francisco. She is now in the south bay area, San Jose, and recruiting new students.

Awards/Achievements

• Ibla Grand Prize International Competition, "Most Distinguished Musician Award", Ibla Sicily, Italy, July 2010
• Amalfi Music Festival, July 2007, Amalfi, Italy
  Performed in the Young Artist Series concert series
• Grandin Music Festival, August 2007 & July 2008, Cincinati, Ohio
  Performed in voice/chamber concerts hosted by the Grandin Music Festival
• Piano Department "Outstanding Achievement Award", San Francisco Conservatory of Music, 2003
• Prague International Piano Festival, July 2004, Prague Czech Republic
  Performed in public concerts hosted by the Prague International Festival
• Zephyr Music Festival, July 2003, Courmayeur Italy
  Performed in public concerts held in Aosta and Courmayeur, northern cities in Italy, within various chamber ensembles
• Shandelee Music Festival, August 2002, New York
  Performed in a concert given by Shandelee Music Concert Series
• "Fisher-Klein Educational Award", University of California, Los Angeles, 1998