Guitarist and ASU assistant professor premieres groundbreaking concerto at Carnegie Hall

Guitarist Jiyeon “Jiji” Kim, assistant professor in the ASU School of Music, performed the world premiere of the first guitar concerto featuring both solo electric and classical guitar at Carnegie Hall Dec. 2, 2018. The piece, “light, beloved,” was composed for Kim by Natalie Dietterich, New York Youth Symphony Orchestra First Music commission award winner, and is the first classical and electric guitar concerto written by a female composer.

Kim, a passionate advocate of new music, is an adventurous artist who plays a wide range of music, from traditional and contemporary classical music to free improvisation. Her 2018-19 performing season features two major debut performances: the Carnegie Hall debut with the New York Youth Symphony and her Lincoln Center recital debut on April 28, 2019, as part of the Great Performers series.

Her new EP recording, “Underglow,” was released in May 2018 and features acoustic music by Bach, Albeniz, Ginastera and Dyens, in addition to her own electronic composition. As the first-prize recipient of the Concert Artists Guild International Competition, Kim has commissioned Nina C. Young to write a new solo piece. The American Composers Orchestra is also commissioning a new guitar concerto by Hilary Purrington (previous NYYS First Music winner), to be premiered by Kim in an upcoming season.