Assistant Conductor & Accompanist
SUNGWOOK KIM
ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR
SungWook Kim (Tenor), a native of South Korea, recently performed the role of Nemorino in Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore. A resident artist with Bare Opera, he has also performed leading roles in their productions of Goyescas and L'Enfant Prodigue in New York City. He has participated as a young artist at the Caramoor Festival for two seasons as well as the Seoul Metropolitan Opera. SungWook holds a professional studies diploma from Mannes College at the New School for Music and holds a graduate certificate from the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California, as well as bachelor's degree in vocal arts and a master's degree from Seoul National University.
KAY RHEE
ACCOMPANIST
Born in Seoul, Korea, pianist Kay Rhee received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in piano performance from the Seoul National University and the Manhattan School of Music, respectively. She studied with Zenon Fishbein at MSM and her other teachers included Anton Nel, Karl Schnabel and Myung-Hak Lee. She is an active performer as soloist and chamber musician, both in the United States and Asia. Ms. Rhee’s contemporary chamber music recital has been featured on Korea’s KBS- 2FM. And as a member of the Clarion Duo, she has been performing and giving a series of lecture recitals at universities and concert halls throughout North America.
Ms. Rhee has adjudicated the Nashville Symphony’s Young Musician’s Concerto Competition, Nashville Area Music Teachers Association’s annual audition and TSMTC’s Piano competition.
She has collaborated with Jeannie Baxtresser, former principal flutist of the New York Philharmonic as an accompanist and has been a studio pianist of renowned teachers such as David Carroll, former associate principal bassoonist of the New York Philharmonic, Chang-Yong Chung, former principal flutist of the Seoul Philharmonic.
A number of students of Ms. Rhee have been winners of numerous competitions including Artist International, CAICompetition, New York Music Competition, Music-Fest, NJMTA, TYMA Russian Music Festival Competition, NJMEA, KRB International Compeition, Wagner College Young Musicians Competition, Young Pianist Competition of New Jersey, The Queens College Cultural Heritage Competition, MTNA Competition, The University of Tennessee at Martin Piano Competition and Tennessee Music Teachers Association Piano Competition.
She has been a faculty member at Blair School of Music of Vanderbilt University, Belmont University, pre-college division of the Manhattan School of Music, Amati Music Festival and the Pai Chai University in Korea. Ms. Rhee has been a principal keyboardist of the Lautus Chamber Orchestra in New York and member of the Clarion Duo. Currently, she is serving as principal keyboardist and executive diredtor of Camerata New Jersey.
