Biography

David’s biggest artistic influences are Gil Evans, Miles Davis, Casiopea, and Bill Evans. Stylistically, he draws from the vocabulary of bebop and rhythmic feel of swing, being inspired by the catchy melodies and funky baselines of Japanese fusion jazz and city pop. His sound is characterized by melodicism, conflict and resolution, and harmonic textures. David enjoys playing the piano—especially with his band—composing, and arranging; he also plays a little bit of drums and guitar. Born in Los Angeles and raised in Orange County, David played classical piano from the third grade to sixth grade, in 2020, when Covid-19 pandemic hit. In quarantine, he enjoyed improvising on the piano alone, inspired by the gospel and R&B sounds from artists like Stevie Wonder and Boyz II Men. In the fall of 2021, he found his first mentor, Ron Kobayashi, an Orange County jazz pianist who introduced him to the language of bebop. With his guidance, David was accepted into the Orange County School of Arts and Idyllwild Arts Academy for Jazz Studies. At Idyllwild, he studied under Marshall Hawkins, a former member of the Miles Davis Quintet and founder of the ISOMATA Jazz Program, and Jeremy Siskind, professor at Fullerton College and pupil of Fred Hersch. David served as the pianist for Combo A, the Idyllwild Community Church, and various other ensembles and shows, as well as a student ambassador at the 29th edition of the Jazz in the Pines Festival. From 2024-2025, David was forced to pause his education, staying in Suwon, South Korea. There, he hosted and played a near-weekly solo concert series that spanned six months; he also recorded an album, Jazz By The Moon, that captured his introspective state during his stay. Today, David is a jazz department leader at Idyllwild Arts Academy, where he is graduating this year. David has a Youtube channel (@yunholim) where he posts performance videos and Shorts. In his sophomore year of high school, David was a Honorable Mention award winner in the Contemporary Instrumental category of the 36th Annual program of The Music Center’s Spotlight in Los Angeles, California with his trio including Alex McLaughlin on bass and Howey Liu on drums.