[Herald Interview] Flutist Kim Yu-been on his journey from France to the US, first album

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 the US, I am concentrating on using what I’ve learned to express music artistically,” he said.

While Kim has proven his virtuosity, his first album, released last week, is both "a dream come true and a name card for a musician."

Kim, who won first prize in the flute category at the 71st ARD International Competition in 2022, second prize (without a first prize winner) at the Concours de Geneve in 2014, and first prize at the Prague Spring Festival in 2015, said he wanted to present both what he’s familiar with and what’s popular.

His debut album, “Peome,” features French compositions from Impressionism to contemporary masterpieces such as the "Sonatine for Flute and Piano" by Jacques Ibert as well as pieces by Claude Debussy, Francis Poulenc, Henri Dutilleux and Cesar Franck.

“France and the flute have an inseparable relationship. The flute continues the tradition of the French school, and many renowned flutists are from France, so flute music is predominantly made by French composers,” Kim said, adding, "Since this is my first album, I wanted to introduce as many popular pieces in a popular way as possible. I aimed to avoid traditional Baroque music and instead present music with a more vibrant color."

For the album, he joined forces with another promising Korean musician, pianist Kim Do-hyun, the second-prize winner of the 63rd Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition.

Kim, who said he drew much inspiration from the pianist he collaborates with, is embarking on a recital tour in Korea, starting with a concert at the Seoul Arts Center on Sunday. He will present the same program in Daejeon on Aug. 25, Daegu on Aug. 27 and Busan on Aug. 28.

Going forward, he hopes to expand his contributions to the flute world.

"As a performer, I represent the composer and tell the story, and I aim to convey my own story as naturally as possible through my performance," he said. Referring to his recent experience performing the world premiere of “Chorus for Flute and Orchestra” by French composer Philippe Hurel, Ki said, "I also aim to continue performing contemporary works for the future of the flute world and expand my role as a performer who creates new sounds."