Aiden Kim, age 17, is a junior and a Conservatory Honors Fellow at Valley Christian High School in San Jose, California, and a recipient of the conservatory merit scholarship. He began studying the cello at age seven and currently studies with Jonathan Koh.

Aiden has been the winner of the Grand Prize at the 2026 Gustav Mahler International Cello Competition, the 2025 National YoungArts Competition (Classical Music/Violoncello), the California Youth Symphony Young Artist Competition, and the Diablo Valley College/Holy Names University Young Artist Competition. Furthermore, he has received top prizes at the California American String Teachers Association Solo Competition, the Burlingame Music Club Young Musicians Competition, the United States Open Music Competition, and the Korean-American Music Supporters Association Competition.

Aiden has been featured as a soloist with the California Youth Symphony and the Diablo Valley College Philharmonic Orchestra. He has been selected as a finalist for From the Top and invited to be featured in the Daily Joy series. He has also been invited to perform at the Junior Bach Festival for three consecutive years and currently serves as principal cellist of the California Youth Symphony Senior Orchestra.

An avid chamber musician, Aiden participates in the Young Chamber Musicians program in Burlingame, California. His trio has won First Prize at both the United States International Music Competition and the Santa Cruz Baroque Youth Chamber Music Competition. Aiden has participated in various summer camps, including Music@Menlo Chamber Music Institute Young Performers Program (2024 and 2025, full scholarship), Chamber Music Northwest Young Artist Institute (2025, full scholarship), and the Heifetz International Music Institute (2022 and 2023). In the summer of 2026, he will attend the New England Conservatory Summer Chamber Music Young Artists Program with a full scholarship.

Aiden has had the privilege of performing in masterclasses and studying with renowned musicians, including David Finckel, Dmitri Atapine, Brinton Smith, David Geber, Peter Stumpf, Edward Arron, Christopher Constanza, Jonathan Swensen, Andrew Mark, and Yi Qun Xu. Aiden is passionate about sharing his music with the community and senior living homes.