The South Korean Oboist, Donghwi Kang, was born in 2000 in Seoul, South Korea. When he decided to continue his oboe career in art school, he was offered a scholarship to study at Interlochen Arts Academy studying oboe with Dan Stolper. While he has been studying oboe, he was inspired by many oboists, such as Celia Nicklin, Jonathan Kelly, Patrick Flanaghan, Elaine Douvas, and Dan Stolper. Donghwi also enjoys going to peaceful countryside, while he is in Korea, and listening to classical music to get inspired, as well.
When Donghwi was playing as a young solo-oboist in Korea, he won some nationwide competitions. By winning in the competitions, and playing in several youth orchestras, he also had some opportunities to play oboe concertos, and solo pieces with some youth, and professional orchestras in Korea, as a soloist. He was also a finalist in the 2023, and 2024 Osaka International Music Competition in Japan. In 2024, Donghwi’s wind quintet won the Wind Ensemble Prize, held at the Royal Academy of music. Donghwi has successfully finished his oboe recitals in Korea, and Solo recitals in the U.S.A.
Since he started studying oboe in 2010, he has played as a principal oboe in several Youth Orchestras in Korea. He also played principal oboe in Interlochen Arts Academy Orchestra, and took part in the other different works in the orchestra. He also has been getting well-trained as a Solo-oboist at Interlochen Arts Academy, and Royal Academy of Music by having regular performance classes, solo recital exams, and regular masterclasses with Jonathan Kelly as a visiting professor at Royal Academy of Music. Donghwi is very interested, and happy to become a professional oboist after he experienced these works. Now, he is studying for a Bachelor’s degree at Royal Academy of Music in London with Celia Nicklin, and Patrick Flanaghan, graduating in July 2025.
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