The Lysander Piano Trio Reveals James Kim As New Cellist

The Lysander Piano Trio has announced that James Kim has been appointed as the ensemble's new cellist; Kim succeeds Michael Katz and joins original members violinist Itamar Zorman and pianist Liza Stepanova. Founded at The Juilliard School in 2009, the Lysander has been praised by The Strad for its “incredible ensemble, passionate playing, articulate and imaginative ideas and wide palette of colors” and by The Washington Post for “vivid engagement carried by soaring, ripely Romantic playing.” The Trio is devoted to inventive programming, finding intriguing connections between works from all over the world, and uncovering lesser-known gems of the repertoire from the past to the present. Coinciding with the announcement of James Kim's appointment, the Trio has released several new performance videos with Kim, a preview of a new collaboration with performance artist Kevork Mourad, and a newly re-designed website.

 

Outgoing cellist Michael Katz joined the Lysander Piano Trio in 2010, performing with the group for several competition wins, including the Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition in 2012, on two commercial recordings, and in multiple performances at Carnegie Hall as well as extensively on tour in over 100 concerts in the US, Canada, Mexico, Denmark, and Israel. He is departing the ensemble to join the Philadelphia Orchestra in April 2025.

 

Cellist James Kim, who continues the Lysander Piano Trio's connection to The Juilliard School having studied there as well, is lauded by The New York Times for his “admirable purity of tone and accuracy.” Kim has appeared as soloist with the Boston Symphony, Royal Philharmonic, Wallonie Royal Chamber, and Juilliard Orchestra working with conductors such as David Zinman, Michael Sanderling, Alexander Shelley, Keith Lockhart, Frank Braley, Tan Dun, Julian Kovatchev, and Benjamin Zander onstage at Carnegie Stern Auditorium, Boston Symphony Hall, Jordan Hall, and Metropolitan Museum of Art. Kim has given solo recitals at Carnegie Weill Hall, Seoul Arts Center IBK Hall, Midday Masterpieces Series at the Greene Space, McGraw Hill Young Artist Showcase hosted by Robert Sherman, Beautiful Thursday Series at Kumho Art Hall, Garden City Chamber Music Series curated by Bruce Adolphe, James Kim with Friends at Music Space Camerata in Paju, Tuesday Series at Seoul National University, and Faculty Artist Series at UGA Performing Arts Center. His performances have been broadcasted on radio stations NPR and WQXR. Kim also performs extensively in his native Korea. A champion of the music by Shinuh Lee, he 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. Winner of the 2006 David Popper International Cello Competition and 2012 Salon de Virtuosi's Sony Career Grant, Kim is a laureate of the 2015 Isang Yun International Cello Competition and 2024 Naumburg International Cello Competition.

 

Stepanova and Zorman say, "It is a bittersweet day. We are grateful to Michael for fifteen years of adventures on the road and for getting to know the cornerstones of the piano trio literature inside and out through many performances with him. We thank him for these many years of joyful music-making and are certainly wishing him all the best for his next chapter with the Philadelphia Orchestra. At the same time, we are very excited to welcome James to our group. Reading with him late in the fall, and starting to perform together this January, it was clear right away that this was an excellent musical fit. We think about phrasing, colors, and making chamber music in a similar way. And, he just sounds fantastic! We are looking forward to working together from our joint homebase at the University of Georgia in Athens, which will allow for in-depth rehearsing as well as some exciting recording opportunities!”

 

“I am delighted to join the Lysander Piano Trio in future concerts and projects,” says James Kim. “Our rehearsals produce a joy I look forward to sharing with audiences. Our pursuit of bringing music to life through meaning and conversation embodies my ideal life as a musician, so I am immensely excited to start this new chapter.”

 

The Lysander Piano Trio performed for the first time with James Kim on January 9 at the University of Georgia in Athens, where both Stepanova and Kim are on the faculty of the Hugh Hodgson School of Music. On February 9, the Trio will collaborate with Franklin Pond Chamber Music in Atlanta to present an educational workshop and performance. Next season's highlights thus far include collaborations with Argentine bandoneonist JP Jofre and a new concert program with visual artist Kevork Mourad, as well as performances in New York, New Mexico, California, a tour of the US Southeast, and more.

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