Janet S. Kim

Director of Wind Bands, Coordinator of Woodwinds, Coordinator of Instrumental Ensembles, Assistant Professor of Music

Dr. Janet 성은(Song-eun, or Song, for short) Kim (any pronouns) is the Director of Wind Bands and Coordinator of Large Instrumental Ensembles at the University of Connecticut. In this role, they conduct the UConn Wind Ensemble in addition to teaching Woodwind Techniques, advanced instrumental conducting, instrumental pedagogy and wind literature classes. They also oversee graduate wind conducting studies.

Before this appointment, Kim served as the Director of Instrumental Activities and Assistant Professor of Music at Nebraska Wesleyan University. Kim earned their doctor of musical arts degree in conducting from The Herb Alpert School of Music at the University of California, Los Angeles. Prior to this, they earned a master of arts degree in instrumental conducting from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and their bachelor of music degree in music education and jazz studies, magna cum laude, from Montclair State University. During their time at Montclair State University, Kim also had the opportunity to study composition with jazz composer/trombonist Alan Ferber and learned orchestration from composer/arranger Patrick Burns. Their primary conducting teachers include Dr. Travis J. Cross, Dr. Timothy A. Paul, Dr. Jason Worzbyt, and Dr. Shelley Axelson.

Kim began their career as a band director and conductor at Northern Valley Demarest High School and went on to be a band director at several other public schools in the state of New Jersey. They led ensembles to perform at Region Band Festivals, District Band Festivals, and successfully brought home gold and silver ratings during their time as a public-school educator. While studying as a graduate student at UCLA, they took a deep interest in audio technology and electronic music. During that time in Los Angeles, they also served as the Associate Director of the Peninsula Symphonic Winds based in San Pedro, CA and led a fully virtual ensemble through the pandemic. As they finished their coursework, Kim was hired by UCLA to teach Audio Technology 101 because of their interests in Audio Technology.

Kim is an active guest conductor and clinician, and has worked with honor bands, clinics, workshops, and festivals across the United States, Canada, and South Korea. Additionally, they are an ardent advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and access initiatives. Kim has presented at the 2022 Nebraska State Bandmasters Association conference about incorporating diversified programming practices, written articles on the impact of diversifying our programming for the California Band Directors Association, interviewed for numerous podcasts regarding the tokenism of BIPOC composers and the impact of visibility, and they have presented on quality programming at The Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic. Most recently, Kim has been onboarded as a Carnegie Hall Music Educator, preparing and presenting workshops about the impacts of intentional programming to music educators nationwide.