Play It Forward – Ellie Kim
Music that inspires one of 2023 All Classical Portland’s Youth Artist Ambassadors, Ellie Kim.
Meet Violinist Ellie Kim. A Violinist for the Portland Youth Philharmonic and one of All Classical Portland’s Youth Artist Ambassadors for 2023.
We recently asked Ellie what pieces of music have inspired her to become the musician she is today. Here are a few of Ellie’s selections.
Piano Concerto No.1 in B-flat Minor by Tchaikovsky
“I love this piece because of the passionate way it is played. I first saw this played by Son Yeoreum, and the way she conveys the piece fervently through sweat and perseverance inspires me in my own playing and hard work.”
The Nutcracker Act 1 No. 6 by Tchaikovsky
“The Nutcracker was the first time that I played in the pit accompanied by ballet on stage. It was an enlightening experience to see how the piece could be expressed both musically and physically, and I thought that this number was especially beautiful when performed together with the ballet.”
String Quintet in C Major by Schubert
“This quintet was the first small ensemble piece I’ve played, and I really enjoyed the beautiful sub-melodies and counterparts that decorate it throughout. This piece has taught me so much on how to express music in unity with others, in comparison to the various solo pieces I have worked on by myself.”
Le Sapin by Jean Sibelius
“This piece seems so simplistic, but is equally complex in the emotions that it conveys. It’s such a beautiful piece that took me by surprise because it stood in contrast to Sibelius’s symphonies and violin concertos that I was so familiar with.”
The Blue Danube Waltz by Johann Strauss II
“This is my first encounter with classical music that I vividly remember from a young age. I heard this waltz on Little Einstein and recall truly enjoying it, to the extent that a 6 year old could appreciate music. At 17 now, I still love this piece and consider it one of the reasons that I started my career with the violin.”
About Ellie
A 16-year-old violinist from Portland, Oregon, Ellie Kim, started playing violin at the age of five. She currently studies with Carol Sindell. In 2020, she won first prize in the Young Artist of the Canadian International Music Competition and second prize in the senior division of the 2022 Oregon Mozart Players Young Artist Competition. She has also been awarded prizes by the Monday Musical Club, the Oregon Music Teachers Association Instrumental Scholarship, and the Jeannette Scott Briggs Scholarship.
A winner of the Cognizart Young Artists Debut! Competition, Ellie has soloed with members of the Oregon Symphony. She is also an ambassador for the Interlochen Arts Summer Academy and a member of the Portland Youth Philharmonic. Ellie loves expressing herself through music and enjoys exploring various styles as she learns to become a more artistic musician.
Click here to hear Ellie’s episode of On Deck with Young Musicians from October 15, 2022