Duo Kantabile: Sunghwan Kim and Dasom Kwon, piano 2/4/25

Program

The Nutcracker Suite for Two Pianos, Four Hands

Pyotr Tchaikovsky, arr. Nicolas Economou

I.   Overture miniature 
II.  Danses Characteristiques

a. March
b. Danse de la Fee Dragee (Dance of The Sugar-Plum Fairy)
c. Danse Russe Trepak (Russian Dance)
f.  Danse des Mirlitons (Dance of the Reed Flutes)

III. Valse des Fleurs (Waltz of the Flowers)

Four-Piece Suite For Two Pianos

Richard Bennett

I.     Samba Triste
IV.   Finale

Suite No. 2 for Two Pianos, Op. 17

Sergei Rachmaninoff

I.    Introduction
II.   Valse
III.  Romance
IV.  Tarantelle 
 

About Duo Kantabile

Sunghwan Kim (DMA, 2022) and Dasom Kwon (DMA, 2023), both alumni of The Ohio State University and Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, recently formed their Duo Kantabile. The name combines the term cantabile (song-like) with the letter "K" to reflect their Korean heritage. The duo is dedicated to introducing their audiences to a variety of musical styles, from original compositions for two pianists (one piano/four hands, or two pianos/four hands) to unique arrangements of orchestral, jazz, gospel, and musical theater works.

Dasom Kwon

Dasom Kwon, a native of South Korea, is a sought-after pianist based in Cincinnati. She earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree from The Ohio State University, where her teaching and performance skills were recognized with consecutive Outstanding Graduate Teaching Associate awards.  Kwon also completed dual master’s degrees in piano performance and collaborative piano at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, receiving the Graduate Assistantship and Artman Straub Scholarship. Dasom Kwon currently works as a collaborative pianist at Xavier University and Northern Kentucky University, as well as an adjunct faculty member.

Kwon has previously worked as a pianist and opera coach for the Indianapolis Opera Company and at the Interlochen Arts Camp, inspiring emerging artists and fostering a love for music. Kwon is also the principal pianist for the Cincinnati Men’s Chorus, and serves as the pianist for The King's Brass. Additionally, she has collaborated with the Chamber Music Ensemble of Cincinnati, contributing her passion to performances and projects.

Sunghwan Kim

Originally from South Korea, Sunghwan Kim completed his Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance at The Ohio State University, where he was honored with the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Associate Award. Kim is also a recipient of full scholarships for his double master's degrees in Piano Performance and Collaborative Piano from the University of Cincinnati College–Conservatory of Music. Kim has garnered acclaim throughout his career through numerous competitions, including the Franz Liszt International Piano Competition, American Protégé International Concerto Competition, Charleston International Music Competition, and the Korea-Germany Brahms Association Competition and DMA Concerto Competition, which led to a memorable performance of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Ohio State Symphony Orchestra at Mershon Auditorium.

From 2016–2024, Sunghwan Kim worked as a pianist and organist with the acclaimed brass ensemble, Tim Zimmerman and the King’s Brass, touring nationally and internationally for approximately 20 weeks each year, and recording numerous CDs under the Summit Records label. Currently residing in Amarillo, Texas, Kim holds the full-time music staff position as organist and pianist at First Baptist Church of Amarillo, serves as adjunct faculty at Amarillo College Music Department, and as professor at Global Piania Conservatory of Music in South Korea, teaching music theory and piano literature/pedagogy online.

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