Chloe Kim : Associate Artist
Situated on Gadigal Country, Chloe Kim (김예지 / Yeajee Kim) is a
Korean-born drummer and composer who brings playful life to the
impasse of fearless improvisation and exacting control.
"RIYL Milford Graves, Max Roach, Buddy Rich, Eli Keszler or Chris
Corsano." (Boomkat Product Review 2025)
To date, Chloe Kim's solo work consists of five acclaimed
albums, each of which explores visionary terrain in rhythm,
texture, and instrumentation. In 2023, she staged a "Herculean"
performance (The Guardian): 100 hours of solo drumming across 10
consecutive days at MONA FOMA. Kim's third album, I Love and
Embrace (2022), was released by the UK-label 'Phantom Limb', and
now comes Ratsnake (Nov 2025), her first US-label release.
Produced by Randall Dunn, supported by Charmaine Lee, Ratsnake is
a bold re-emergence into the drumming canon, inspired by the
intense presence and energy of New York City, where the recording
took place.
At the core of Chloe Kim's artistry is a restless curiosity,
gathering inspirations not only from Coltrane and Pärt but also
from Abramović and Munch. Kim constantly repositions herself in
collaborative and multidisciplinary spaces, and has been sighted
with a drumstick in her left hand and a paintbrush in her right,
responding live to Do Ho Suh's large-scale installation
Staircase-III (2010) and dueting with a dancer, contributing to
the invigorating and playful nature of the improvisational music
scene.
As a new facet of Kim's creative expression, she has composed for
both traditional and non-traditional chamber ensembles: a
flute-clarinet-piano-violin-cello Syzygy Ensemble (2025), an
award-winning Music for Six Double Bassists (2024), Music for 50
Musicians (2024), Music for 12 Months (2025).
Kim has recorded music with Billy Martin and John Medeski, and
has performed alongside legendary musicians such as Pheeroan
akLaff, Mike Nock, Barney McAll, Sandy Evans, Jonathan Zwartz,
Simon Barker, while also sharing bills with Bill Frisell,
Immanuel Wilkins, and Hania Rania; affirming her place at the
intersection of experimental jazz, improvisation, and
contemporary classical music. Kim is also a passionate educator -
an Associate Lecturer of Drum Set at the Sydney Conservatorium of
Music.
Biography provided by the composer
Awards & Prizes
| Year | Award | Placing | Awarded for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Art Music Awards: Award for Excellence in Experimental Practice | Finalist | 100 Hours |
Selected Commissions
| Work | Commission Details | |
|---|---|---|
|
Joy Extract (quintets: flute, clarinet, piano, violin, cello) (2025) | This commission was made possible thanks to the generous support of The Aranday Foundation and the Yulgilbar Foundation. |
