Daniel Myeongjun Kim, winner of the 2020 Korean Next-Generation Choral Conducting Competition, is a conductor, organist, and columnist actively engaged in both Korea and the United States. He earned his bachelor's degree in Church Music from Yonsei University and completed his master’s degree in Choral Conducting at Indiana University, where he is currently pursuing his doctorate.
In Korea, he led the Yonsei Glee Club to first prize at the 6th Yonsei A Cappella Sacred Music Festival and conducted the final round of the 3rd National Children's Choir Competition at KBS Hall while serving as associate conductor of the YeonEum Children's Choir. As the co-founder of the Seoul Youth Choir, he has focused on the discovery and promotion of new Korean choral works, collaborating closely with rising composers. In 2022, he received critical attention for preparing premiere of the cantata Yu Gwan-sun, commemorating the 120th anniversary of the birth of the Korean independence martyr, at the National Theater of Korea.
Following his service as a cultural officer in the Republic of Korea Army, he moved to the United States and was selected as a conducting fellow at the Northwestern Bach Academy, studying the works of J.S. Bach with Dr. Andrew Megill. He further expanded his artistic perspective through studies with Cheryl Frazes Hill of the Chicago Symphony Chorus and Robert Porco of the Cincinnati May Festival.
At Indiana University, he was appointed director of the IU All Campus Chorus and served as associate conductor of the Grammy-winning ensemble Singing Hoosiers, performing at the 2025 ACDA National Conference. He also participated as assistant chorus master for the 2024 world premiere of the opera Kavalier and Clay, co-produced with the Metropolitan Opera, broadening his expertise in opera and large-scale vocal productions.
With a deep interest in contemporary music, Kim has conducted a wide range of premieres and revivals of both choral and orchestral works. His performances of Yeomwon by Ji-Won Kim and Arirang by Professor Jong-Yeoul Chong have contributed to raising international awareness of the cultural significance of Arirang and the historical reality of Korean division.
As a vocalist, he has actively participated in major productions as a member and artistic coordinator of the Chantez à Dieu Choir, performing such works as Mozart’s Requiem, Bach’s St. John Passion, and Franck’s Seven Words on the Cross. He has also contributed to recordings with the Vespers Choir, Chorus Cum, and Vox Amicis. In 2024, he participated in the world premiere of four previously unpublished cantatas by the Baroque composer Christoph Graupner, continuing his work as a dedicated vocal artist.
Daniel currently serves as Assistant Conductor of the NOTUS (IU Contemporary Vocal Ensemble) and Director of Music at the United Methodist Church in Bloomington, Indiana. Through his regular music column, Kim’s Music Say, he shares reflections on the societal role of musicians and advocates for the accessibility and relevance of classical music in contemporary life.