Clarinetist Kim Han will hold his first solo recital at Carnegie Hall in New York on May 3. The concert is the third installment of the Carnegie Hall Debut Concert Support Project organized by the Korea Mecenat Association, a program that helps Korean musicians advance onto the international stage through joint corporate sponsorship. Following cellist Choi Ha-young in 2024 and pianist Sunwoo Yekwon in 2025, Kim was selected as the project's latest featured artist.
Eight companies and organizations — Noroo Holdings, Byucksan Cultural Foundation, Seoul Auction, Seol Won-ryang Cultural Foundation, Amorepacific Foundation, Dongsung Chemical, CJ Cultural Foundation and U.S.-based MetLife — along with the Arts Council Korea's "Arts Tree" program have joined as co-sponsors for the performance. The Korea Mecenat Association plans to work with the New York-based Korea Music Foundation to invite key figures from the American classical music scene, including management firms and record label representatives, to formally introduce Kim to the international stage.
Kim is a standout performer in the woodwind field. He rose to prominence after winning second prize and the audience award at the ARD International Music Competition in Munich in 2019 and currently serves as the first Asian musician to hold a permanent principal position at the Paris National Opera. The project's advisory panel explained the selection, saying, "Despite his outstanding skill, he has had relatively limited experience on the American stage. This performance is an opportunity to raise his international profile."
The recital program centers on clarinet sonatas by Camille Saint-Saëns, Johannes Brahms, Francis Poulenc and Leonard Bernstein. It also includes "Song in the Dusk" by Korean composer LeeGeon-yong, offering a balanced repertoire spanning classical and contemporary works as well as Western and Korean traditions.
On May 4, the day after the concert, Kim will participate in a masterclass co-hosted by the Korea Music Foundation and the Korean Cultural Center New York, engaging with local musicians and students.
Yoon Young-dal, chairman of the Korea Mecenat Association, said, "This performance will serve as a springboard for Kim Han to take the next step on the world stage. We will continue to expand corporate partnerships so that Korean musicians can sustain their presence on the global stage."