Ensemble Mik Nawooj

Ensemble Mik Nawooj performs innovative music of composer/pianist JooWan Kim, which blends such genres as classical, hip-hop, film music, jazz, and pop into a unique musical hybrid. Since the first public performance in spring of 2005, EMN has gathered much attention and shock from various music fans for its uncompromising blend of rap and classical. Ensemble Mik Nawooj is, by far, the only band that successfully merged the vernacular with traditional Western European music without losing the integrity of both genres. EMN , however, is neither a hip-hop band nor classical ensemble. It lies in the common place where all music lives and breathes, expanding and transmuting its sound. 

JooWan Kim- Composer

JooWan Kim holds a BM from Berklee College of Music (summa cum laude), and an MM from San Francisco Conservatory of Music (both in composition). In 2005, he formed the Ensemble Mik Nawooj, which consists of: flute, clarinet, violin, cello, drum set, bass, and an MC. It was for this ensemble that he wrote "Great Integration: A Chamber Hip-Hop Opera" which led him to secure an exclusive management contract with the Jazz Legend Ahmad Jamal (2006-2009). In 2007, JooWan received a lifetime endorsement from the Steinway and Sons Piano Company. Kim believes that the world is going through a profound alchemical change right now and his music reflects this "Great Integration".

    "In this day and age, for an artist to succeed, the talent has to be either exceptional or very different. JooWan Kim is both; exceptional and very different" -Ahmad Jamal

Christopher Nicholas

Christopher Nicholas received a dual bachelors degree in Songwriting and Vocal Performance from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. He was awarded the Berklee Achievement Scholarship and received an honorable mention for his original song, "I Write these Words" in the Berklee Songwriting Contest. Later, legendary jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal praised this piece calling it "a master piece". In 2004, Christopher was granted the Patsy C. & Fred W. Patterson College of Music Scholarship to the University of North Texas in Denton, TX. While in attendance, Nicholas was a featured soloist on the album “In Case you Missed it” with the U.N.T Jazz Singers directed by Paris Rutherford. After completing his masters degree in Jazz Studies in 2009, he joined JooWan Kim to form Golden Fetus. Nicholas is the CEO/Co-founder of Golden Fetus as well as the lead vocalist in Ensemble Mik Nawooj.