About 11 years ago, at the age of 16, aspiring South Korean flutist Kim Yu-been moved to France to pursue his passion for the instrument. Since then, Kim's journey as a flutist has taken him from France to Germany and now to the US, winning major competitions along the way and serving as the principal flutist at two prestigious orchestras. Kim studied at prestigious French music institutions, including the Conservatoire National Superieur Musique et Danse de Lyon and the Conservatoire National Superieur Musique de Paris.
He furthered his education in Germany at the Hochschule fur Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin, where he obtained an Advanced Performance Diploma. In 2016, Kim was appointed principal flute at the Konzerthausorchester Berlin, where he spent seven years. Recently, he moved to the US as he took the role of the principal flute of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, which is led by conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen.
“In France, I focused on developing the fundamentals of flute playing and producing a beautiful sound. In Germany, the heartland of (classical) music, I tried to master the technical aspects and focused a lot on how to use the techniques I’ve learned to express music effectively with professional musicians and orchestras. By learning directly and performing with excellent soloists and supporters, I have been deeply inspired and have learned a great deal," Kim said during a press conference on Aug.
9, reflecting on his journey from France to the US. “Now in t.