Lauded by The New York Times for his “admirable purity of tone and accuracy,” James Kim has appeared as soloist with the Boston Symphony, Royal Philharmonic, Wallonie Royal Chamber, and Juilliard Orchestras working with conductors such as David Zinman, Michael Sanderling, Alexander Shelley, Keith Lockhart, Frank Braley onstage at Carnegie Stern Auditorium, Boston Symphony Hall, Jordan Hall, and Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Kim has given solo recitals at Carnegie Weill Hall, IBK Hall at Seoul Arts Center, Midday Masterpieces Series at the Greene Space, McGraw Hill Young Artist Showcase hosted by Robert Sherman, Beautiful Thursday Series at Kumho Art Hall, and Garden City Chamber Music Series curated by Bruce Adolphe. His performances have been broadcasted on radio stations NPR and WQXR. His Carnegie Weill Hall debut in 2013 garnered praise from Harris Goldsmith of New York Concert Review:

“But I daresay, the recital of a 19-year-old cellist at Weill Hall on February 3rd was more than merely excellent, it was an historical coming of a fully honed master virtuoso; one is compelled to formulate new standards for the golden instrument. . . Never before, have I encountered such winged ease, such airborne joy, such silken smooth bowing and tone production. All of these facets were present at the service of stylistic knowledge, bracing rhythmic thrust and most importantly, an inviting warmth and modest honesty.”

In his native Korea, Kim has performed concerti with Daegu, Korean, Gwacheon, and S.O.N.G. Symphonies; Incheon, Daejeon, Goyang, and Wonju Philharmonics; and TIMF and KBS orchestras, engagements which have brought him to Seoul Arts Center, Tongyeong Concert Hall, Daegu Concert House, DITTO Festival, and Lotte Concert Hall, where he is the first soloist in its history. 

A champion of Korean composer Shinuh Lee, Kim premiered her Cello Concerto in 2021 and released Death and Offering , an album of her works dedicated to him through Sony Classical in the same year. In 2023, he presented that program in recital at the IBK Chamber Hall of Seoul Arts Center.

Winner of the 2006 David Popper International Cello Competition and 2012 Salon de Virtuosi’s Sony Career Grant, he is a laureate of the 2015 Isang Yun International Cello Competition and 2024 Naumburg International Cello Competition. From 2016 to 2021, he performed on a Matteo Goffriller cello from Venice ca. 1715, generously loaned by Samsung Cultural Foundation and Stradivari Society® of Chicago, Illinois. A former student of Susan Moses, János Starker, Laurence Lesser, Aldo Parisot, Joel Krosnick, and Philippe Muller, he received his Artist Diploma from The Juilliard School and Doctor of Music from Manhattan School of Music. Starting fall 2024, he serves as Assistant Professor of Cello at the University of Georgia’s Hugh Hodgson School of Music.