School of Music Professor Pursues His Passions for Piano and Cooking

A passion for music took one associate professor in the School of Music across the world.

Dr. Taesong Kim has lived most of his life surrounded by the piano. 

He started lessons at age 11 in Korea and learned classical music on the piano. He excelled quickly, winning second place in a competition.

But after a few years, he stopped playing. According to Kim, many parents in Korea would have their children take piano lessons growing up, and then encourage them to pursue a more traditional college education.

“I went into college with a computer engineering major in mind,” Kim said. “It was not where my interest was, but I got into the program based on my scores.” 

Then music crept back into his life. At his college in Korea, he joined a rock band and played the keyboard. His band would cover rock and metal bands such as Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Metallica that were popular at the time. 

“During my first two years of college, I stayed away from the computers,” Kim said. “Joining the band motivated me to get back into music.” 

Kim ended up changing his major from computer engineering to pursue a degree in music. With that, he set his eyes on Liberty University. 

“I came to Liberty in 1992, expecting to learn more about rock music,” said Kim. “They did not have that option, but I had prepared a couple of classical pieces by Mozart and Beethoven.” 

Playing those pieces got him into the music program, and he then focused back on classical music.

“It was tough, but I had so much passion for music and fell in love with it more,” Kim said. “It is amazing how God led me through those four years and into a master’s degree and a doctorate degree at different schools.” 

He earned his bachelor’s degree in piano at Liberty, then moved on to receive his master’s at the University of Tennessee and his doctorate at the University of South Carolina, both in Piano Pedagogy. 

Kim started teaching at Liberty in 2006, and never left. Kim believes this was all God’s plan for him from the beginning. 

“This is my 15th year, and it is all God’s miracle,” Kim said. “I cannot explain it in any other way. It is only by God’s miracles. Nothing I did.” 

While Kim no longer listens to rock music, he has picked up on jazz music with some of his colleagues and is working on combining both classical and jazz music. 

“I have these amazing opportunities to learn here,” Kim said. “Who knows how God could use that learning as His tool.” 

But his passions do not stop with music. He also has another creative side that not many people know about – Kim is a gifted cook. 

In his office, a map shows all the places he dreams of opening a restaurant.

“I have cooked for many years,” Kim said. “During quarantine, I specifically created an Instagram account to show off my food that looks good.” 

He enjoys cooking ethnic dishes like spicy Korean chicken stew, Korean noodle soup and pancakes, and black bean noddle and spring rolls.

Kim’s Instagram account can be found @feedyourwife_usa.

Daniel Ellis is a Feature Reporter. Follow him on Twitter at @dnaieltyler.