Invited Professor Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi Attends a Donation Agreement Ceremony for Cello Major

At 5 p.m. on May 21, at the Audio Recordings Section of the Seocho campus, K-Arts held a donation agreement ceremony with cellist Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, an invited professor.

On the ceremonial day, Kim Daejin, President of K-Arts, Lee Yerin, Vice Dean of the School of Music, professors of the Department of Instrumental Music, and cello major students and their parents attended to express their appreciation to Professor Tsutsumi for his contribution.

Cellist Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, serving as an invited professor at the School of Music, said, “I had an unforgettable time with great students and professors during my visit to K-Arts. I would like to give back to K-Arts and my students for what I’ve received. I hope this will help K-Arts students in their studies.” In support of the cello major program in the School of Music, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi pledged to donate 135 million Korean won to the K-Arts Foundation through institution head Kim Daejin.

Kim Daejin, President of K-Arts, thanked Professor Tsutsumi, saying, “My gratitude goes to Professor Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, who has taught so much to our students. I hope our students will grow as genuine artists after Professor Tsutsumi’s example, and K-Arts will continue to cultivate talent.”

Kim Hye-in, a cello major, said, “I would like to thank Professor Tsutsumi, who taught us that music is not just about playing notes, but about empathizing with the audience.” Kim then presented a thank-you gift to the professor on behalf of the School of Music students.

Born in Tokyo, Japan, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi debuted with a co-performance with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra at age 12. At 18, he had his first concert tour as a soloist in the regions of India, Russia, and across Europe with the NHK Symphony Orchestra. In 1963, he won first place at the Pablo Casals International Award for cellists, in Budapest, Hungary, rising to international fame. He received the Fulbright Scholarship in 1961. Then he obtained the Artist Diploma in Instrumental Performance from Indiana University, the United States, in 1965. From 1988 to 2006, he served as a cello professor at Indiana University, and from 2004 to 2014, he was President of the Toho Gakuen School of Music. Since 2017, he has served as a professor at the School of Music at K-Arts, setting a role model as both artist and teacher and inspiring students to grow as artists.

The K-Arts Foundation is developing projects for the school’s advancement, such as funding faculty research and running scholarship programs to nurture artistic talent at K-Arts.