Mini Series Part II: Hye-Jin Kim

Once upon a time, I wrote an announcement about a little blog series I planned to work on this season. The first installment occurred all the way back in September 2016 and featured the one and only Joshua Bell with the Tulsa Symphony and Dan Hege conducting.

Then, for several months, not a violin solo was heard, not even a mouse, as we played The Nutcracker (ad nausea) and countless other serious and not-so-serious concert programs in between. 

Perhaps to keep me working on one of my resolutions (to write every day), there is now a slew of upcoming violin soloists on my calendar, and I'm a little worried I am going to fall behind!

Hello, 2017! Happy New Year!

My first concert of 2017 was with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic. I won a partial contract with them in late summer and the stars finally aligned for me to perform with them. Having regularly attended their concerts during grad school, I was eager to join them onstage and play alongside many of my university professors. 

The OKC Philharmonic is in an interesting situation this season; their long-time Music Director is retiring at the end of the year and they are in the midst of a search for a new one. Each concert this season features a different candidate on the podium. This was the third new face and it was interesting to hear the orchestra members compare the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate thus far.

Bear with me here as I now try to weave my high school memories with the present blog post.

This week the conductor was David Lockington. 

Several seasons ago, Lockington led the Tulsa Symphony in a great program including Beethoven Symphony No.7 and the Shostakovich Violin Concerto (a pretty stellar program) featuring his wife Dylana Jensen as the violin soloist. As I recall, she was fantastic. Dylana was one of those rare child prodigies that managed to make a recording with the famed Philidelphia Orchestra and Eugene Ormandy. For more on her, click here.

David Lockington took great care with the details in each piece. A cellist himself, it is clear that he is a musician who holds himself to a high standard and expects the same from the orchestra. To read more about him, click here. I LOVE his recording of Vivaldi's Four Seasons with Anne Akiko Meyers. So tight, so precise, and so musical.

Many moons ago, when I was a wee high schooler at Interlochen Arts Academy Dylana would visit occasionally and give masterclasses and visit her daughter (a creative writing major at the time). It is just so funny and charming when the music world works like that. I remember her being a fiery and passionate teacher and performer.

The best, most unexpected surprise of the week was a reunion with Steven Li! Steven and I went to high school together in Michigan. Steven was a senior when I was a freshman and he was the violin superstar. We hadn't seen each other in 15 or 16 years. It was a real treat to reconnect and share the stage again. He lives in Fort Worth now with his family and is a full time member of the Fort Worth Symphony (Associate Principal Second to be exact). 

I think Steven is aging better than I am!

Anyways, back to 2017...

Hye-Jin Kim is an up-and-coming violin soloist who is just taking off on what will likely be an exciting career! Here is an excerpt from her bio:

Describing the artistry of violinist Hye-Jin Kim, winner of the Concert Artists Guild International Competition, The Strad lauded her “heart-stopping, unrivalled beauty” of sound and her “supremely musical playing, well-thought out, yet of the moment.” Ms. Kim’s sensitivity to the expressive and contextual components of the violin repertoire enables her to transport audiences beyond mere technical virtuosity, and this remarkable musical depth and passion brought her to international prominence when she was awarded First Prize at the Yehudi Menuhin International Competition at the age of nineteen.

Ms. Kim has performed as soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra led by Christoph Eschenbach and the New Jersey Symphony with Gerard Schwarz, as well as with the BBC Concert Orchestra, Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, Pan Asia Symphony (Hong Kong), and Hannover Chamber Orchestra. She has appeared in major venues including Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater, Kimmel Center Verizon Hall, the Kravis Center, Salzburg’s Mirabel Schloss, St. John’s Smith Square, and Wigmore Hall in London. At the invitation of Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, she performed at the U.N. Headquarters in Geneva and New York. Ms. Kim has also served as a cultural representative for Korea in Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan through concert and outreach engagements.

She performed Saint-Saens Violin Concerto No.3 in B minor with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic

Hye-Jin's performance was exciting! The audience gave her a standing ovation at the end. To read the review of the performance, click here. Honestly, I don't think I've heard someone perform this with an orchestra since high school when two of my violin studio mates won the annual concerto competition with it. Now, I want to dig out my old, coffee-stained part and relearn it. It is so virtuosic and violinistic with big flashy runs high up the E string (and G string), chords galore, and beautiful singing melodies. To hear some of Hye-Jin's playing click here for recordings available on the OKC Philharmonic website.

And not to be shallow or anything but.... 

Her performance dress is one of my all time favorites thus far IN MY LIFE. As soon as she walked out on stage, I admired it. The bright colors and bold modern cut were riveting. It was a confident dress that didn't didn't appear to sacrifice comfort for couture. I have since scoured the internet for a photo of it but no luck. It is driving me crazy! If anyone reading this happens to have a photo, please upload it in the comments section (I'm begging you).

Typically (and rather tragically) this piece is often taught as a pedagogical steppingstone and then abandoned in pursuit of some of the 'bigger' repertoire (think Sibelius, Brahms, Beethoven, etc.).

Digging around trying to find a recording of the complete concerto I found this one performed by Louis Kaufman. What A pleasant surprise! Kaufman was a very important figure in the violin world and is mostly famous for his performances of new music. This recording of the Saint-Saens is really charming - I hope you enjoy it!

Now that I'm an adult, and have studied violin repertoire for several years now I find this concerto to be sort of strange. I LOVE the beginning, it is so intense and fiery! The melodic material is gorgeous and lush but I feel unfulfilled after the first movement as if Saint-Saens hinted at a musical climax that was never fully realized. I think because of this, the concerto demands a through-listening. You get the sense that the pacing takes place on a larger arc than just one movement at a time.
 

Here's a little info about the piece....

The Violin Concerto No. 3 in B minor, Op. 61 was premiered in 1880 and was originally dedicated to the famous Spanish virtuoso Pablo de Sarasate. ~Can you hear the Spanish flair? Typically, when pieces are dedicated to a specific performer, especially one with such a specific musical identity, have trademarks and homages written in paying tribute to the performer. When you listen to this concerto now, can you hear the Spanish inflection? The insinuation of dances, melodies, and flair?

But where is the cadenza? 

WHAT?! The cadenza, to any non-performers/musicians who might stumble upon this, is a soloist's big unaccompanied moment to shine. Often found at the end of a movement (but definitely not always), the cadenza is typically filled with all the flash and panache the composer/performer can muster. It is a soloist's bread and butter. It almost feels impolite to refuse a soloist their moment of hard-earned bravado but Saint-Saens did not care to leave space for one. An interesting choice and one that musicologists can probably explain much more articulately than I can. 

The other pieces on the program were Copland's Buckaroo Holiday and Edward Elgar's Enigma Variations. I don't often listen to either of these pieces and forgot how much I love the Enigma Variations. Especially Nimrod, one of the most glorious, achingly beautiful pieces ever written in my opinion. Lush with emotion, it is as moving to play it as it is to hear it. 

On that note, enjoy!

The Annual Goals and Resolutions Post

Now that I have recapped 2016 and assessed my improvement and resolution successes (and failures), it is time to disclose what 2017 has in store resolution-wise.

This year I'm narrowing my list a little bit. I have some serious goals that need accomplishing without (too many) distractions. There are also a few holdovers from last year that I made progress on but could use some updating for the new year.

So without further ado, I bring to you the Active Violinist 2017 Goals and Resolutions.

The Holdovers

Finish Dissertation

This is not a joke. This is my no. 1 priority in 2017. As a result, if this is the only thing accomplished by the end of the year, 2017 will be a complete success. As much as I enjoy practicing the violin (and I really, really do) I need to put it down more often and kick this document in the butt! Gone are the hours of daily practice and pieces I'd like to learn. Hello, hours spent at my computer. If this isn't completed before the year is over I am going to be in serious trouble (with myself). 

Don't they say a messy desk is a sign of genius???? I hope so!

Write More

More like every day. Write something every day! This does not include emails or tweets. I'm trying to develop the habit of sitting at my computer every day rather than just in spurts. Blog Posts, poems, dissertation chapters, short stories, book reviews, personal letters are all possibilities in this category.

Read 33 books

Bumping this goal up three books from last years goal of 30. Nana has thrown down and already challenged me to another 36 book reading challenge. That's all fine and well for a lady of leisure, but I have to hustle so I'm cutting myself a three book break (with the hopes of exceeding this by 3). And yes, audiobooks count!

Write a letter or card to my Nana every time I finish a book

I'm making this more realistic and sticking to once a month. In 2016 this was a nice way for us to sum up each month of reading and gush about what we enjoyed the most (and what we disliked).

Ride My Bike More

In 2017 this means ride my bike AT LEAST once a week. Commuting, trips to the coffee shop, leisurely rides, and cycling for fitness all count. 

Yoga

My home practice is pretty good, but I need to go back to class at least once per week. My silly rehearsal schedule usually conflicts with the one Iyengar class offered in Tulsa, but I'm tempted to go back to Bikram. Also, I'm going to put myself on Iyengar's Asana Course (found at the back of Light on Yoga) and try to document more of my progress so I can see it, and maybe if I'm feeling brave, share it. 

Be a (better) morning person

I am now instituting a bedtime. Teeth brushed, face washed, PJs on, and in bed by 11 pm. This applies to all evenings when I am not driving home from an out-of-town gig late at night. Those nights (and weeks) will unavoidably be late ones. BUT rather than getting home and putzing around before finally falling asleep, I am challenging myself to do something productive. I find that research is a surefire way to make me drowsy so odds are late night document reading will be happening regularly.

How I typically feel in the morning.

New Resolutions

Set Short Term Goals

Rather than task myself with 'write dissertation in 2017' I'm setting short term goals to ensure that I meet my long term goals. With the dissertation, for instance, I have daily and weekly goals set aside as well as finish date for larger sections. I think this is the key to success for me. This means I have smaller tasks and goal for each month (and sometimes weeks or days) in place. The vague, To-Do list filled with huge tasks is too daunting for me and I tend to avoid even getting started. Much like in my practice schedule - when I committed to daily technical practice I reaped long-term benefits aka winning auditions.

No Social Media in Bed

This is already proving to be a challenge! Every night I pick up my phone and mindlessly scroll through Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Every morning I reach for my phone and check the things I've missed while sleeping. Why? I'm still trying to figure that out. Needless to say, this is a total time suck and needs boundaries and limits. Bedtime is for reading and sleeping. Those Instagram likes aren't going anywhere. Plus all those studies about how detrimental screen time is to your sleep habits - yikes!

No Buying Books Until these have been Read

Wow! These photos are practically life sized! Any recommendations???

I'm nervous about this one. Anyone who knows me is probably aware that bookstores make me salivate with desire. I can count on one hand the number of times I've entered a bookstore without buying something. I have an addiction. The problem is I can't seem to keep up with my spending habit, so I'm cutting myself off until I've completed these bad boys. The sad thing? - These are not the only unread books I have at the house. Yikes!

Conquer my avoidance of Quickbooks

You should see me avoid this program. Who knows why? I don't other than I'm behind and the thought of catching up means HOURS of work. But I'm trying to be a responsible adult (and small business owner) so I need to suck it up and dive in.

Organize Music

When the season starts, I find myself just trying to hold on for dear life! Practice parts tend to stack up and my poor students end up having lessons surrounded by piles of unread books, and music to be learned or recently performed. I'm thinking of getting really OCD about this and cataloging the parts with charts and binders (high-tech stuff!). 

Quit Complaining 

I have cultivated a life filled with people and things I openly love and passionately pursue. I need to cut down on the whinging. It is not attractive. I do not admire my colleagues who are always moaning. I resolve to rise about the temptation to find fault in everything, to not air my professional complaints publicly, or tolerate bad attitudes where I can help it. 

What are your resolutions for 2017? Share below!

Resolution Review

Happy New Year! This is one of my favorite times of the year - I am a SUCKER for resolutions, changes, and new beginnings. My list of resolutions is usually so long and ambitious it borders on ridiculous. 

BUT...

before I write about my resolutions for 2017 I thought I'd recap, review, and grade myself on my resolution performance in 2016.

 The Active Violinist List of Resolutions for 2016.

Personal

• Read 30 books

I completed 31 and was very close to finishing 32. - SUCCESS ✅ 💯

• Write a letter or card to my Nana every time I finish a book

Okay, Okay this didn't quite happen BUT I did write at least one card per month. Incidentally, it spawned a competitive reading challenge with my Nana (which she won) and she tried to up my book reading to 36. I tried but alas, that whole work, practice, research, drive, blah blah blah thing really gets in the way. - Quasi Success ✅

• Be a (better) morning person

This still needs work. This rehearse at night, drive home, eat late thing is really messing with my get up early and conquer the world plans. I will say that I do much less late night Netflix watching (a tiny triumph) - FAIL ❌

• Classy (and Sassy)

This one was all about personal grooming and I improved immensely. I am gradually weeding out the charming yet dated 'I bought this in college and it was cheap and bohemian' pieces and replacing them with more 'timeless and chic' options. Consequently, I take better care of my belongings. I even iron stuff now AND go to the dry cleaner more than once per year. - SUCCESS 💯✅

Professional

• Write More!

Yes, I definitely wrote more! Blog posts, chapters nobody ever read, ideas for projects, emails - but this could always improve. - SUCCESS ✅💯

• Finish Dissertation (and consequentially my D.M.A.)

Well I started writing and even worked up a proposal. This whole process takes more time than I ever imagined. I did not factor in waiting on faculty schedules, or editing (lots and lots of it). - This is a Fail but moving in the right direction ❌ 🔆

• Get a Job

This one is tied to the dissertation. NO APPLYING FOR JOBS UNTIL DOCUMENT IS COMPLETE. It sure is hard to resist the temptation of a good application and hours of time avoiding my dissertation. Ahh the smell of professional procrastination - FAIL❌

• Do Not Neglect the Fundamentals

I do this everyday. My daily practice warm up is ingrained in my morning routine now and I would be lost without my self inflicted hour of scales, double stops, bowing exercises, etudes, arpeggios, etc. I definitely think it is paying off. So far I've taken 3 regional auditions and won every single one of them. I credit the relentless hours of technique. - SUCCESS 💯 ✅

• Learn the Sibelius Concerto and Mozart #5

Mozart - SUCCESS ✅💯 (although I still pick up #4 for auditions)

Sibelius - that sucker is hard! But I have been chipping away at it throughout the year. Would I perform it next week? No, but now I can at least play through it with a little more ease each time. - Quasi Success ✅ 

Health And Wellness

• Ride my Bike More

Yes this happened in that I went from 0 rides to roughly 15 this year. This is improving but still has a ways to go. Ideally I'd like to be on my bike AT LEAST once per week. - Quasi Success ✅

• Afternoon Tea (no, not with cucumber sandwiches. More like instead of coffee.)

I was getting pretty good at this one until gig season hit like a ton of bricks and then I was back to guzzling cappuccinos and coffee at all hours of the day. Still working on it - Quasi Success ✅

• Drink More Water!

I'm trying but OMG my body needs so much water. It is exhausting just trying to squeeze in enough hydration in one not-so-active day let alone when I've actually worked out. - I'm counting this as a FAIL ❌ because I still feel like more often than not, I am not hydrated enough.

• Yoga

I definitely upped my home practice game and I now have nice cork blocks and regularly hit my mat. I found an amazing teacher who I am obsessed with and cannot get enough of his classes...but he's in Minnesota (sob!) William Prottengeier - look him up, he is AMAZING!!

I need to go back to class. I can tell I'm getting kind of lazy and doing the things that are comfortable. I need someone to challenge me and push me. - I'm counting this as a Quasi Success with room for improvement. ✅

How did I do?

Overall I did Okay. I'd give myself a B-. Things were started, or minimally improved but I see room for greater growth and attention. I'm dissapointed in myself on some levels for not completing some of the bigger items on this list more fully, but feel more determined than ever to kick 2017 in the butt and conquer some some resolutions in 2017. 

Stay tuned for 2017 resolutions coming soon!