About
Photo courtesy of Manhattan School of Music
Photo courtesy of Lincoln Center
Hannah Jiwon Kim is a Korean-American cellist based in New York City. A graduate of The Juilliard School (B.M. 2022, Natasha Brofsky) and the Royal Academy of Music in London (M.Mus. 2024, Hannah Roberts), she has since performed at major international venues including Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, and Lincoln Center.
Highlights of the 2026–2027 season include concerto appearances with the Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic at the Schönbrunn Palace Theater under Maestro A. Valera Casanova, and with the Madrid Atlántida Chamber Orchestra at the National Auditorium under Maestro Manuel Tévar. She also tours Greece and the Netherlands as a soloist with the Athens State Orchestra. In summer of 2026, she will perform Vivaldi’s Concerto for Violin and Cello in Europe alongside renowned violinist Jaroslaw Nadrzycki with the Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra of Szolnok at Szolnok and Liszt Hall.
Her festival engagements include the Franz Schubert Foundation, Orford Musique, Música en Compostela—where she received the 2023 Cellist Award—and the St. Lawrence String Quartet Seminar at Stanford University. Hannah has worked with leading artists such as Barbara Hannigan, Emmanuel Ax, and John Adams, and has held fellowships and residencies with organizations including the H. Gluck Foundation and the Benedetti Foundation, where she served as a Creative Learning Ambassador.
Dedicated to socially engaged performance, Hannah is a founding member of the 1.5 Degrees Trio, a chamber ensemble that also produces concerts with Lincoln Center focused on climate awareness through music.
In addition to her work as a performer, Hannah is a multidisciplinary creative. In 2021, she was awarded the Global Enrichment Jacob Grant for Canto Primavera, a multimedia coloring book inspired by her recording of Britten’s Cello Suite No. 1.
Hannah is also the founder of Irregular Pearl, a nonprofit digital platform reimagining classical music for the modern age through collaborative, beautifully designed, and freely accessible educational resources. Launching in 2026, Irregular Pearl will serve as a living archive and creative commons for musicians, students, and enthusiasts alike.
1.5 Degrees (2018 – 2022)
The 1.5 Degrees Trio promotes sustainability and environmental awareness within the Lincoln Center and Juilliard community. Hannah spearheaded numerous events, including lectures with prominent composers and climate activists such as John Luther Adams and collaborations with New York climate organizations like 350 NYC.
Performed at David Rubenstein Atrium on April 22nd, 2022
Para Quintet (2019-2022)
Hannah's dedication to community engagement was further exemplified through her involvement in the Para Quintet, where she served as both a founding member and cellist. The group, which consisted of a string quartet and a dancer, was dedicated to using music and dance as a means of reaching out to local communities. Under Hannah's leadership, the Para Quintet pioneered a residency model for the GCSF (Gluck Community Service Fellowship), allowing for more meaningful and thorough engagement with the communities they served.
Canto Primavera (2022)
In recognition of her outstanding accomplishments, Hannah was awarded the George J. Jakab Global Enrichment Grant to fund Canto Primavera, a coloring book inspired by Benjamin Britten's first cello suite. This innovative project incorporated Hannah's own interpretation of the suite and included coloring pages, designs, and poetry, along with a recording of the cello suite.
Promotional Video for Canto Primavera