We are pleased to congratulate David Jongkak Kim as Virginia Music Teacher Association’s 2025 Commissioned Composer.  He presented his winning composition, Song From My Home at the VMTA state convention held at George Mason University on November 8, 2025.

David was one of MusicLink’s first students and we were constantly impressed with his passion for music throughout his training and career. David Is currently the MusicLink Alumni Chair looking for fellow alumni who want to share their accomplishments through the Link. We share his program writeup below:

DAVID JONGKAK KIM holds a bachelor’s degree in composition from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he studied with Dr. Keith Fitch, Dr. Margaret Brouwer, and Paul Schoenfield. He also worked with Tania Leon, Joan Tower, and Robwert Beasley (Julliard) and studied conducting with Michael Adelson (New York Philharmonic).

David is in high demand as a collaborative pianist and teacher in the Richmond area. At Virginia Commonwealth University, he teaches Keyboard Skills and serves as collaborative pianist and vocal coach for the opera program, choirs, and instrumental studios. He has worked with Virginia Opera and The Richmon Symphony Chorus. This semester he joined the University of Richmond music department a piano instructor,

Originally from South Korea, David moved to the U.S. in 1995. With support from the MusicLink Foundation founded by Dr. Joanne Haroutounian (Professor Emerita George Mason University) Dave began serious piano study at the age of 12 with Judith Schulz in Lynchburg, VA. In 2000 his family relocated to Maryland where he studied piano with Dr. David Kreider and Judith Ferencz and composition with Dr. Glenn Caldwell (McDaniel College) during his freshman and sophomore years of high school. The family later moved to Richmond where he continued his piano studies with Landon Bilyeu (Virginia Commonwealth University) again through the support of the MusicLink Foundation.

During high school David attended the International Institute for Young Musicians (IIYM) at the University of Kansas studying with Dr. Jack Winerock (University of Kansas) and Gabriel Kwok (Hong Kong Academy of Performing  Arts). He later served as IIYM camp counsellor working with Dr. Scott McBride Smith and participated in master classes with Awadagin Pratt and Gustavo Romero.