James Kim had already played his first concert with the Lysander Piano Trio when the ensemble announced his appointment on February 4, 2025. His debut with violinist Itamar Zorman and pianist Liza Stepanova took place on January 9 at the University of Georgia in Athens.
A laureate of Naumburg’s 2024 International Cello Competition, Kim succeeded Michael Katz, who was leaving to join the Philadelphia Orchestra. Kim and Stepanova both taught at the university’s Hugh Hodgson School of Music, giving the trio a shared base in Athens for rehearsals.
Zorman and Stepanova said they had first read music with Kim the previous fall. Their statement described an immediate agreement on phrasing and color, then added: “And, he just sounds fantastic!”
The trio’s announcement and new performance videos
Kim’s performance in the 2024 Naumburg final is available below.
