Taewoo Kim is the principal clarinetist of the Flint Symphony Orchestra and has performed as acting principal clarinetist with the Lansing, Battle Creek, and Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestras. Originally from South Korea, he began his clarinet studies at the age of 17. He attended Busan Beniel Arts High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in music education with a focus on clarinet performance from Kyungnam University.

Before coming to the U.S., Taewoo worked as a clarinetist and crew leader with the Jinju Wind Orchestra and the 

Gyeongnam Wind Orchestra. He also served as a clarinet instructor for the Arts and Business Orchestra and was a member of the Chalumeau Clarinet Ensemble and Lucid Musicians. He has performed with the FOOSA Philharmonic Orchestra, the Kyungnam Art Symphony Orchestra, and the KNN Broadcast Philharmonic Orchestra.

He pursued a Performance Diploma and a Master’s degree in music at Michigan State University, where he is now completing a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree under the guidance of Dr. Guy Yehuda.

Taewoo has won several prestigious awards, including first prize at the Henri Selmer International Competition (where he was awarded a Selmer “Presence” clarinet) and the Changwon Philharmonic Orchestra Concerto Competition. As the winner of the Golden Classical Award Competition, he performed at Carnegie Hall in 2020.