What is your earliest memory of classical music?
I have been closely connected to classical music since I was a baby. My father was a tenor, and my mother always listened to classical music in the morning on the radio. I had the opportunity to attend many concerts and operas during my childhood, and I still remember enjoying the dress rehearsals and exploring the backstage of the opera house when I was a kid.
Was there a teacher who was particularly impactful/helpful? What made this instructor stand out?
I have three professors who were impactful: Professor Elaine Douvas, Professor Julia DeRosa, and Professor Linda Strommen. From Ms. Douvas I learned how to approach music and prepare new pieces. From Ms. DeRosa I learned how to enjoy playing the oboe and how to build my reed making skills. From Ms. Strommen I learned how to be my own best teacher and how to keep moving forward without being discouraged by failure.
How would you like to see orchestra concerts evolve in the future?
I hope concerts become something that everyone, regardless of age or gender, can easily approach and enjoy.
What is a surprising part of playing your instrument that you think most people don’t know?
There are two different styles of reeds: European and American. I started playing the oboe with European reeds when I was in Korea, and I had to switch to American reeds, which was not easy for me. The process of making reeds is different, but also the playing positions, including the embouchure and even some of the fingerings.
What is the biggest challenge and/or surprise about playing in an orchestra?
Sometimes it’s even harder when there are a lot of rests.
What advice would you give your younger self or anyone starting out?
Don’t give up. Use your failure experiences for your future opportunities.
What do you wish you knew starting out that you know now?
I wish I had known how to prepare new pieces. It’s much more fun to practice and easier to sing or even build your own stories from the music once you know the background of the composer and the piece. It almost feels like time traveling through music when you know the background stories.