Biography

Sungwook Kim is a conductor based in Germany whose work brings together orchestral concerts and opera. In July 2026, he conducted the Stuttgarter Philharmoniker and the Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen in public concerts in Stuttgart. His forthcoming conducting engagements include the Bodensee Philharmonie Konstanz on 12 November 2026 and the premiere of Rossini’s L’occasione fa il ladro in Stuttgart on 30 January 2027. Further performances of the Rossini production are planned for February. A conducting appearance with the Philharmonisches Orchester Altenburg-Gera is also foreseen for the 2026/27 season, with the programme and date still to be determined.

On 20 September 2024, Kim made his conducting debut with the Luzerner Sinfonieorchester during the Dirigierwoche with Michael Sanderling. The week formed part of the selection process for the Assistant Conductor position. In May of the same year, he conducted performances of Nicolai’s Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor in Leipzig. His broader orchestral experience encompasses concerts, productions and workshops, with the nature of his involvement varying from project to project.

Kim has worked as a répétiteur at Theater Altenburg-Gera since August 2025. His work within the German repertory theatre system includes vocal coaching, musical preparation, staging rehearsals and preparation for performances. Selected productions include Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, Richard Strauss’s Arabella and M. Baron’s Frankenstein, the latter also involving keyboard duties. From 2023 to 2024 he was a guest répétiteur at Oper Leipzig under a ZV contract. Since 2023, he has been invited back annually to Goethe-Theater Bad Lauchstädt and the Festspiel der deutschen Sprache as répétiteur and musical assistant. Productions there include Die Zauberflöte, La clemenza di Tito and Die Entführung aus dem Serail. This continuing work with singers and production teams informs his approach to opera conducting.

Since 2025, Kim has pursued a master’s degree in orchestral conducting at HMDK Stuttgart with Rasmus Baumann, studying répétition with Cornelis Witthoefft. He previously studied orchestral conducting at HMT Leipzig with Matthias Foremny, graduating in 2025. His training there also included répétition with Christian Hornef and Hartmut Hudezeck and piano with Markus Tomas.

Kim studied composition at Kyung Hee University in Seoul with Seunglim Kim from 2013 to 2017. During his studies in Seoul, he conducted more than 100 contemporary works, the majority of them world premieres. A contemporary music project with Project21AND is planned for autumn 2027.