Academy Student Spotlight: Noah Kim
December 17th, 2025
"Studying music has taught me discipline, responsibility, and collaboration, while also constantly challenging me to think in new ways. Most importantly, it has shown me that we all need music in our lives, and that understanding gives the music that I play a far deeper meaning."
17-year-old pianist Noah Kim has been studying piano for several years and is currently in his second year of the Academy at the Music Institute of Chicago. For the past three years, he has studied with Christopher Guzman, Professor of Piano at the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University.
Music has been part of Noah’s life for as long as he can remember. “I grew up in a musical family, with both my parents being musicians,” he says. “At age 4, I was interested in the piano, and I remember just tinkering around on the keys.” Early encouragement made a difference. “My mom helped me practice, and soon after I began to have my first few lessons. I think my parents were the biggest factor that made me decide to pursue music.”
As he’s grown, what keeps him engaged is how open-ended music can be. “The opportunity to explore a wide range of music really inspires me to keep pursuing it,” he explains. “Music really doesn’t have any limits, and it fascinates me to see how I can connect with people of all different backgrounds with different musical experiences, even beyond the musical genres I’m familiar with.”
One of the most formative musical experiences Noah recalls happened outside of a typical performance setting. While living in Berlin during eighth grade, his family volunteered to help refugees following the outbreak of the Russo-Ukrainian war.
“Unexpectedly, my family was also asked to perform for them to offer some relief, and we quickly prepared a concert in four days,” he says. “We performed at two cities in Slovakia just 15 miles from the Ukrainian border, and hearing the stories from the refugees and being able to offer them some relief in that moment was a very powerful musical experience.”
Music continues to impact Noah outside of the practice room. “Studying music has taught me discipline, responsibility, and collaboration,” he says, “while also constantly challenging me to think in new ways.” More importantly, it gave him clarity about why he plays. “It has shown me that we all need music in our lives, and that understanding gives the music that I play a far deeper meaning.”
Earlier this year, Noah helped turn that belief into action by co-founding Healing Harmony, a performance group with friends from school. “Since then, we have performed at multiple senior living communities and community fundraising events,” he shares. “I believe that, as musicians, sharing our musical talents with others is not just a privilege but a responsibility that we have.” Their most recent performance was at the Lake County CASA annual gala, where the gala raised over $390,000 to support children in foster care.
Alongside these experiences, Noah credits his time in the Academy with shaping how he approaches music. “The Academy offers an experience that truly no other place has done for me so far. I’m so thankful to be surrounded by a group of such amazing musicians and getting the opportunity to learn and perform with them. It really pushes me to grow and work harder,” he says.
“I’ve come to realize that the Academy is training me not just to become a better musician, but a better person, and I am very thankful for that.”
When reflecting on his time in the Academy Noah says it has trained him to become more resilient. “I know for sure that the time and mindset that I keep here will transfer to whatever else I pursue in the future, whether it be music or something else.”
That mindset has supported several recent achievements, including second prizes at the Sejong Music Competition and Stanger Concerto Competition, and first prize at the Chicago National Chamber Music Competition.
Outside of piano, Noah keeps a full schedule. “Some things I like to do outside of music are running, reading, watching soccer, and hanging out with friends,” he says. When he’s not practicing, he’s also part of his school’s robotics Arduino team and the Vernon Hills High School Wind Ensemble.
As he looks ahead to the rest of his final Academy year, he’s excited to continue learning from the musicians around him. Through performances, master classes, and shared experiences, he remains focused on growing as both a musician and a person.