Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance

Principal Flutist of the Grand Rapids Symphony, Dominique Kim enjoys a full career of solo, ensemble, and new music performance. In addition to previously holding the Principal Flute position with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, Dominique has performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, and Houston Symphony. Most recently, she performed a solo concerto with the Grand Rapids Symphony, and has given solo recitals for the Flute Center of New York, the National Flutist Association Convention, and at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall. She won the Grand Prize at both the 2021 National Flutist Association Young Artist Competition and the 2019 James Pappoutsakis Memorial Flute Competition.

Dominique has spent enriching summers performing at the Tanglewood Music Center, Music Academy of the West, and Spoleto Music Festival. After two summers of orchestral fellowship at the Tanglewood Music Center, Dominique was invited back as a Fromm New Music Fellow in 2023, and again in 2024 as a Fromm Guest Artist. She also enjoys performing with and commissioning new works alongside her violinist/pianist sister Valerie in their ensemble, Dal Duo.

Dominique holds a Bachelor's Degree in History of Art & Architecture with a secondary in Germanic Languages and Literature from Harvard University, and a Master’s in Music from the New England Conservatory through the Harvard/NEC Dual Degree Program. After her time with Paula Robison at NEC, Dominique studied at Rice University under the tutelage of Leone Buyse.  Away from the flute, Dominique enjoys baking, figure skating, and exploring the great outdoors. 

Originally hailing from Missouri, Dr. James Thompson joined the faculty at Grand Valley State University in Fall 2024 and now resides in Grand Rapids. Dedicated to the expansion of the flute repertoire, James was awarded grant funding to travel to France for his dissertation research on the flute music of Nicolas Bacri. His dissertation was subsequently named a winner of the National Flute Association’s (NFA) Graduate Research Competition. James gave the American premiere of Bacri’s Concerto pour flute in 2017. James has also performed new works for flute by Robert Fruehwald, Roy Magnuson, and Lindsey Wiehl at several NFA conventions, the College Music Society National Conference, and the American Viola Society Festival. James has been featured as a concerto soloist with the New Chicago Chamber Orchestra, the Southern Illinois Symphony, the Ball State University Symphony Orchestra, and the Illinois State University Symphony Orchestra. 

During the summers, James has appeared in music festivals such as Domaine Forget (Canada), Festival Suoni d’Abruzzo (Italy), the Fresno Opera & Orchestra Summer Academy, and the Southern Illinois Music Festival. As an orchestral musician, James currently holds the 3rd Flute & Piccolo chair with Symphony of the Lakes (Indiana) and has performed with regional orchestras across the Midwest. Recognized for his engaging teaching style, James is in demand as an educator. He has given flute masterclasses and clinics at Indiana State University, Valley City State University, Texas Lutheran University, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, Southeast Missouri State University, and East Central College. James’s degrees are from Truman State University, Illinois State University, and Ball State University. Prior to joining the faculty at GVSU, he taught at Ball State University, Earlham College, and Taylor University, and served as Education Coordinator for Orchestra Indiana.