You have a large collection of international performances as both a student and a performer. Many musicians attribute their success to how they practiced to prepare for performances. How did your own approach to practicing evolve from when you were a child to becoming a professional?
Yes, I agree that practicing is one of the most important and key factors to a successful performance.
When I was a child, I honestly did not enjoy practicing since I felt like I was merely repeating the same thing over and over and I easily got bored of it. Even when I decided to major in piano, I used a lot of hours working on the same material until I got it right. As my studies became more serious, however, I had so many other things to take care of - studying for exams, teaching classes, accompanying workloads, house chores, etc. so I didn't have as much time to practice or work on a certain piece compared to before. This is when I started to think seriously about how to practice efficiently - which I think is the key element these days, for our living especially in this busy, fast-changing world.
Thanks to my previous teachers, I was able to learn how to use my brain and not just my fingers to successfully achieve my goals in my practice sessions, and I wasn’t wasting my time. Remember that everything has a reason. If something doesn’t work after you’ve worked on it for a while, we need to change our way of thinking. After all, our body is controlled by our brain, not the other way. Thus, I would say that being a pro on something means that you know how to do it with efficiency.
What are some suggestions you have for our Opus 1 students that will help them evolve their own practicing as they get older and become more advanced in their playing?
Practicing should be viewed the same way as studying for any of the subjects learned from school. Becoming advanced in something not only means that their skill level is improving but “independence” should always come along. The teacher can always guide and give an idea for practicing tips, but after all, practicing or studying happens when students are all alone. By the time students reach a certain level, they should have already explored several different approaches to their practicing.
Practicing should always have a goal set. Within a certain amount of time, you need to know what you want to change/fix. So, before you make any sound, sit down and plan your practice session. If you think you’re having the same problem for a certain amount of time, then you should stop and find another way, or reach out to your teachers for suggestions. The point here is to always be alert, responsive to what is happening while keeping the good things and getting rid of the not-so-good ones. Coach yourself and train your mind to always be aware of what you are doing. “Did you achieve your goals?” “Did it work?”
What is one of your most memorable performances as a student and what about it distinguishes it from your other experiences?
One of the most memorable performances I recall as a student is not a perfect, flawless performance, but the opposite. This was when I was in fourth grade, during the end-of-the-year student recital from my piano institution. I was performing last in the program since I won the grand prize in a local competition. Even at a young age, I felt the pressure of having to represent this institution with excellent performance.
I played a rondo movement of a Mozart piano sonata, and I never felt that nervous. Since I wasn’t able to warm up when I was waiting for my turn in the cold backstage, I felt like my fingers weren't moving as I hoped they would when I played the first few measures. It was moving by itself without my consciousness. All I could think of was to finish this piece as fast as possible and get off the stage. After the return of the first theme later in the piece, my fingers started to wander around. I was repeating the same thing over and over to finish the movement, but I couldn’t find my way. I was lost.
This was my first time to experience a memory slip on stage, and I didn’t know how to overcome it. I never stopped playing, but I was repeating the same music over and over. Luckily, my fingers were able to continue playing without my thoughts and I eventually could finish up the somewhat "extended" rondo. As performers, we must learn to persevere through our mistakes, which are inevitable, rather than giving up.
You’ve taught in Korea, Texas, Indiana, and now the Bay Area. What are similarities and differences that you’ve noticed between parents’ and students’ approaches to music lessons in these different regions?
Before anything, I want to articulate that my answers are solely based on how I felt from my own experiences and that my answers cannot be generalized.
Most of the time, Korean parents are extremely interested in their child’s education. This is due to the competitive population in Korea where getting accepted to college is such a big deal and regarded as a key to a successful career. Therefore, parents are much more involved and concerned with their child’s lessons. They will constantly ask about the progress of their students, and sometimes will be anxious if their child seems like they are falling behind. I’m very well aware of this since I was also raised and educated in Korea, where, as a student, you are constantly being compared with your peers.
As a teacher who understands the culture, I like to make the parents feel assured, so whenever I discuss students’ progress, I mostly focus on the stronger aspects, rather than the weaker ones, unless it seriously needs to be mentioned. On the students’ side, because I know how much pressure they go through, I try hard to encourage them with warm words and let them realize how wonderful they are on their own.
When I first taught in the States, I was amazed at how parents gave much freedom to lessons. Not because they aren’t interested, but because they trust their child to let them build their relationship with the teacher. I was feeling less pressure on proceeding forward to the next level but could make sure the student was enjoying and understanding the concept thoroughly. I learned that the students were more proactive and self-determining on their progress and shared their thoughts without feeling embarrassed.
There are pros and cons of both sides, and I do not prefer this over that, but I like to absorb and combine these different approaches and ideally seek a balance. Again, this depends so much on the students and the parents and their distinctiveness, and I’m looking forward to broadening my experience with even more diverse students and parents in the Bay Area!