Photo by Erin Nelson.
Cuewon Kim, a rising junior at Vestavia Hills High School, plays a piece on viola at Samford University. Kim was selected for the National Youth Orchestra 2.
A traumatic experience at a recital almost kept Cuewon Kim from continuing his musical career.
When he was 9-years-old and playing violin, Kim, now a 16-year-old Vestavia Hills High School student, lived the nightmare of many musicians: forgetting the music. In addition to forgetting the piece he was playing, Kim lost control of his bow and it flew into the piano behind him.
The chaotic scene led to him taking a break from music for two years, he said.
But after those two years, Kim realized he missed playing an instrument. When COVID-19 hit, he began playing viola, a similar instrument to the violin, but bigger in size and with different strings.
Now, just two years after switching instruments, Kim is headed for the second summer in a row to be part of NYO2, a summer orchestral training program for 14- to 17-year-old instrumentalists. The organization is run out of Carnegie Hall and partners with the National Youth Orchestra, which includes 16- to 19-year-old students.
While he no longer plays the same instrument, Kim is following in the footsteps of his older sister, Kyuna, who plays violin and was part of the National Youth Orchestra in 2020.
Playing along with those people … taught me that I need to practice more. It’s kind of inspiring to see them working so hard.
Cuewon Kim
Kim said he likes to play along with his sister and credited her for helping him develop as a musician. Still, seeing her success could be intimidating, he said, leading to him taking a different route musically.
“I always felt I had to follow in her footsteps with the violin,” Kim said. “She kept going on and upward and I felt overwhelmed. … Changing to viola freed me from having to follow in her footsteps and allowed me to take my own path.”
His relationship with his older sister is “a lot better than most [people’s],” Kim said. They’re both able to help each other succeed and improve at their craft, he said.
Photo by Erin Nelson.
Cuewon Kim started playing violin as a child, but he picked up the viola during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Playing viola at a high level came quickly for Kim, as the instruments are similar.
“A lot of the skills that I had previously developed from playing violin translated over to playing viola,” Kim said. “At the same time, I feel like that new experience, starting with a new instrument … also boosted my morale and I ended up practicing more.”
Playing viola helped him learn more about countermelodies and fitting into the background instead of being out in front, he said. It’s a good life lesson as well, he said.
All of Kim’s practice paid off beginning with his first go-round with NYO2 last summer, where he spent time in Miami as well as playing in Carnegie Hall with other talented musicians. This year, the orchestra is changing things up and going overseas to the Dominican Republic.
“Playing along with those people … taught me that I need to practice more,” Kim said. “It’s kind of inspiring to see them working so hard.”
Kim said it’s a challenge not only to avoid falling behind on his own but especially to be compared with others he will be playing with in NYO2. Still, once a performance starts, the nerves leave him, he said.
“I do get nervous before performing in front of other people, but while I’m performing, I tend to not get super nervous while I’m playing,” he said.
While part of NYO2, Kim said all he has to pay for is his flights. Everything else, from food and lodging to music, practices with world-class musicians and tailor-made clothes, is provided.
“It’s a tremendous honor to be there,” Kim’s father, Jaedeok, said. “Life is super busy, but he wants to come back to NYO so much that he has already set his eyes for the next year’s audition.”
Playing at famous venues like Carnegie Hall is indescribable, Kim said.
“I didn’t realize how many floors Carnegie had,” Kim said.
Kim received the music in May to begin practicing. He said he was looking forward to meeting up with friends he made last year and is excited to see what the Dominican Republic is like.
While he wants to major in a STEM field, he said he has no plans to quit viola in the near future and might pursue a double major.
