Performances
King’s Peak International Music Competition
1st Place
When I was submitting the preliminary round of this prestigious competition, I could not even imagine that I would win first place for two consecutive years. It was just so unbelievable for me that even now, looking back at my journey I am astonished at my progress and achievements.
Being a male soprano, I have always faced challenges. Not only are male sopranos rare, I felt that most opportunities for male singers were limited to altos and bases, and they had much more spots on choirs and even chances for solos. That was why King's Peak International Music competition was a great opportunity for me, because of the fact that they divided sopranos and awarded them on a separate scale.
What I also enjoyed from this experience was that I was able to listen to other male sopranos sing. Many times, singing is a solitary activity. And as previously mentioned, recitals often combine all singing positions together in one event, and therefore there have not been many opportunities where I could watch fellow soprano singers perform. However, through this event, I was able to watch their performances and reflect on what my advantages and weaknesses may be by comparing their work and mine. Because of that, this competition itself, even if I excluded my good results, was extremely meaningful to me and I hope to repeat it if I ever come across a chance to.
International Music Competition
The Music of America – 1st Place
Participating in the International Music Competition, I was faced with a quite an unfamiliar and therefore difficult topic of "The Music of America". Because I was more familiar with European music, especially those in the classical era, this was a challenge for me.
I had almost no background knowledge regarding this area, which made it difficult for me to really immerse myself in the music and enjoy playing. Therefore I spent a lot of time just looking up some major music genres such as blues and gospel, jazz, and country and listening to them on youtube.
After I got my ears adjusted to the music and it no longer sounded foreign anymore, I spent all of my time practicing to imitate the flow of the music. Because most of my performances prior to this competition were classical ones, plain imitation, despite it sounding easy, was the key for me at first. And after endless repetition, I was finally able to perform it with my own distinct style! I think that because I went beyond simply copying other famous players' styles but studied hard about the genre itself and gave myself time to play in my own unique style, I was able to win the first prize on this event!
International Music Competition
Best Bach Performance – 1st Place
As previously mentioned on other blogs, and easily noticeable by the names of my awards and honors, one of my favorite classical players of all time would be Bach. Although explaining it again would bore the readers out, I presume, I cannot stress enough how much I like his style of music and how well I think it suits my method of playing.
What I like most about his style of music is that his writings do not point out a specific style or method of play; in other words, it has limitless possibilities of variation and the players' color. And I felt that combining my style of play with the alterable music of Bach had always created a level of synergy that I could not feel with other composers.
This resonance, I think, was not something only in my mind but something that other people (even judges) could sense. And that was the exact reason why I was able to win multiple prizes in that specific sector. However, I still think I lack in that area when I am playing pieces of other composers, especially those in a non-baroque area. That is why I am continuing to practice that now! I really hope to continue that, and acquire successful results by receiving good standings in competitions on those composers, also.
National Association of Teachers of Singing San Francisco Bay Area Chapter
Acquiring a standing at second place in the National Association of Teachers of Singing San Francisco Bay Area Chapter for Classical Singing was a meaningful and exciting experience for me.
One thing that was unique about my experience here was that there were many opportunities for teachers and students to collaboratively engage in both teaching and singing. In other words, it was not merely a competing environment, but where all contestants were encouraged to actively interact with experiences where we could share our know-how and skills we have accumulated over the years.
Because I participated in the Grade 5 and Under age group, many of my fellow contestants were much younger than me and were just beginning their singing journey. I was grateful and excited that I was placed in such a situation where I could not only improve my singing to a significant amount but also help others in a journey that I have once walked. And then being able to compete with them on a healthy setting and with a healthy method, I felt that I had improved not only musically but also mentally as well! I really hope to have another experience like this in the nearest future.
United States International Music Competition
Special Theme, Young Artist Awards – 1st Place
Winning first place in the Special Theme and the Young Artist Awards sector of the United States International Music Competition was an extremely memorable experience for me, especially for the fact that it was done by me performing music by Bach, one of my favorite musicians of all time.
I have always loved Baroque music, especially Bach. I think that was because Bach's music is so distinguishable, it really stands out from other many common baroque musicians of his time. His polytonic melody lines are pretty hard to replicate but are so unique in a sense that replicating them would create me a new version of the piece, not merely a mundane replica.
While emulating his piece, I felt that I was totally immersed in the piece, even forgetting that I was doing this as a part of a competition! This was surprising since it was one of the first experiences I had ever 'lost myself' while performing a piece. I think because I was so into performing the music itself that I was oblivious of the surroundings, I was able to score first place! I really hope that in the future, I will have many more opportunities where I get to play songs of my favorite musicians and really enjoy it while performing!!
Music Teacher Association of California
Voice Level 6, Certificate of Merit with State Honor
Earning this certificate of merit for voice level 6 was one of my dreams that I had ever since I was young. Because it's such an advanced level, I could say that all my previous practices and lower-level competitions were all a build-up for this final process.
As significant as this was, I was excited yet nervous about performing my absolute best. I felt the implicit pressure placed upon me and was afraid that I may not be able to achieve my ultimate dream. Adding on to that, my singing voice was not in perfect condition right before I performed this activity, which added on to my anxiety. However, knowing that these things were beyond my control, I changed my mind to just relax so I could do what I was able to do! Thankfully, that worked, and I was able to successfully complete the requirements for level 6. I am so proud of myself, and I hope to further continue these activities and earn awards for even higher levels!
2022 Chicago International Music Competition
2022 Chicago International Music Competition took place virtually and applications were due in May. The results came out not too long ago and looking at the prize took me back to a month ago when I was practicing Bist du bei Mir for the competition.
Bist du bei Mir is a German Lied written by J.S. Bach. Lied is the German word for song, which suggests that the entire piece was written in German. As the only languages I can speak are English and Korean, I had to memorize the lyrics of the song, unknowing what they truly meant.
To put more emotion into the piece, I decided to take a look at the English translation of the lyrics.
Be thou with me and I’ll go gladly To death and on to my repose.
Ah, how my end would bring contentment, If, pressing with thy hands so lovely, Thou wouldst my faithful eyes then close.
(Translated by Z. Philip Ambrose)
The lyrics were about love and death, it was written with emotions I had never experienced before. I found it extremely difficult to channel the happiness of love at the same time as the sadness of death. In addition to this, I had to memorize the lyrics in German. This was no easy feat. I had to practice the pronunciation of each word, practicing and practicing until I got the accents. Then I added the melody to the lyrics - which wasn't one bit easier. The piece had several difficult parts, all containing very high notes. I drank lots of warm water and tea to warm my neck and be able to belt out all the high notes of the song. All of this on top of each other made Bist du bei Mir an extremely difficult piece to sing.
Looking back now, it wasn't an easy journey but the experience taught me persistence and the art of practice - practice makes perfect.
EdX - 18th Century Opera: Handel & Mozart
HarvardX is a free online course provided by Harvard University and it offers a wide variety of different courses including music, which I took. I took a course called 18th Century Opera: Handel & Mozart. It was my mother who initially suggested this program to me. I took interest in this course because recently I have been singing pieces from the 1700s. I had always had a great interest in Handel as Handel is well known as the mother of music. Handel was an amazing musician and even Mozart was influenced by him. Thus, I thought it would be a great opportunity for me to take part in this class. I found the idea of learning virtually at my pace exciting. It was different from school where teachers would talk and talk for hours.
To my expectation, the class was great. The class consisted of multiple informational videos and lectures where the professor would sometimes hold classes with other artists. Although I only met them online, it was a great experience, to listen to the experiences of more professional musicians. The class wasn't too difficult in particular - we took little quizzes in between classes, making sure we remembered what we learned in class.
Overall, I think it was a great learning opportunity for me to deepen my knowledge in an area that I like.
American Protege International Music Talent Competition 2022
What is American Protege Competition?
The American Protégé International Music Talent Competition is open to all instrumentalists (piano, winds, strings, brass, traditional, etc.), vocalists, and traditional folk and jazz groups of all nationalities and countries. Participants are required to submit video recording materials for the audition. American Protégé is looking for genuinely talented people, who have creativity and stage charisma.
Achievement: 2nd place winner of the voice section
When someone asks me, "Why do you love music?"
Then I would answer, "This is my own unique way of expressing my feelings"
Sometimes words are not enough to express all my thoughts and feelings.
There are deeper meanings and truths behind the expressed superficial words.
For me, 'Singing' is my own effective way of expressing my thoughts and feelings to others.
When I sing, I can put more feelings and expressions into the words.
For example, rhythms, rhymes, musical notes, vocal techniques, pitch, etc.
There are numerous special spices that I can put into my song to express my thoughts.
These musical spices make my overall expression much more abundant.
These are the reasons why I love to sing.
Under the guidance of my vocal teacher Ms. Jeenie Yukyung Byun, I participated in a competition named 'American Protege International Music Talent Competition 2022.'
I didn't participate solely to earn awards. The main reason why I participated in this competition was to sing in front of a bigger audience. To test my limits and breakthrough.
I was nervous to sing in front of a huge audience from various backgrounds. It was totally different from signing in front of the student at school. However, the nervousness vanished as soon as I began to sing.
As I started singing, I immersed myself in my own voice.
Luckily, I became the second-place winner of the competition. Nonetheless, more than just the award, this experience became my precious turning point. Now, I am able to sing in front of a huge audience, and I realized that I am actually talented at singing.
Junior Bach Festival Winner for Voice
Junior Bach Festival is dedicated to touching young lives by promoting the study and performance of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. Presented annually about the time of Bach's birthday, March 21, the Festival features in concert some of the finest young musical talents in California, chosen by audition. The Festival promotes the appreciation and performance of Johann Sebastian Bach's music by showcasing young musicians under age 21 from all over northern California.
Since Junior Bach Festival is one of the most prestigious competitions held in California, I was hesitant because I wasn't sure I was talented enough to compete with numerous people exhibiting unparalleled love of music. But, when people become satisfied with what they currently have, this prohibits improvement and they remain the same, eventually becoming lagged behind those with ambitions. That's why I recorded a video of myself singing, and sent in an application form to become qualified to perform on the stage. Luckily, the three judges gave me high marks, and I could sing in front of the audience that filled the entire auditorium.
Although the COVID - 19 pandemic blocked most of the plans for the competition, I was able to perform live on March 21, 2022 (which is Bach's birthday). It was such a thrilling performance, and I felt like a famous singer introducing a new album to the audience. I was also respectful about how the audience kept their etiquette. When someone was performing, they kept quiet and focused on the flow. But, when the last sound faded, everyone gave a standing ovation for being brave to perform in front of hundreds of people. Eventually, it was my turn to sing. I stood in front of the microphone and sang along to the music.It felt as if I was singing for over a Millenium, but eventually, I was finished and received a standing ovation from the crowd. I couldn't leave but vow in front of everyone before leaving. Although I wasn't able to win first place, I didn't care much. I was still recalling the moments of staring at the crowd, uttering lyrics that are still vivid in my ears.
US International Open Music Competition
The US International Open Music Competition is an event launched by the Bay Area Music Association in 2014. It attracted many young participants from the Bay Area as well as contestants from around the world. Surprisingly, this competition sped ahead of its time in 2017, holding an online-only competition as if preparing for the unexpected pandemic.
The competition is open to a wide variety of different instruments such as Piano, string instruments, woodwind instruments, and most importantly - the voice. In addition to this, there is a wide spectrum of genres to audition from: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary.
I was intrigued by how much this competition offered and decided to take part.
And my role in this competition?
I was the second-place winner in the Baroque Voice category.
My second competition in 2022 was not what I had expected it to be (I was looking forward to an in-person competition) but this second-place award meant a lot more to me as it was not easily earnt. Like many competitions before, I stood in front of the camera and sang. It was a simple task but it wasn't too easy. No matter how many times I tried recording, it was a wrong note or beat that I produced which had me record all over again. Even when I did produce everything perfectly, there was one missing element. But I wasn't sure what I was missing. So I closed my eyes and imagined a large crowd in front of me, swaying to the flow of the notes as they traveled from my mouth into the air. All of them had pleasant smiles on their faces.
This was it. This was what I was missing.
.
I performed because singing made me happy and I also loved to see the smile on people's faces as I sang. My sincerity towards the audience was what I missing because of the ongoing pandemic and online performances. As soon as I realized this, practicing became much easier. The notes came out more smoothly and the difficult pronunciations just rolled off my tongue. I wasn't only performing, I was communicating with the audience on the other side of the camera.
I practiced and practiced hoping that my tune would reach the judges. I was hoping they could experience France in the late 1600s through my music. I believe my sincerity reached the judges and brought me this prize.
VAYA International Festivals Awards
VAYA International Festival Awards is short for Vancouver Area Youth Arts.
I participated in this festival as it was online this year due to Covid. Normally, it would have been difficult for me to participate in this festival as it is a festival in Vancouver. Thankfully, this year, the festival was held online and I was able to participate in two different sections: one for vocal songs written before 1750 and one for a song in a foreign language ( a language that is not English or my mother tongue, in this case, Korean). As I had much experience in both sections, I thought that this festival wouldn't be too difficult.
I began practicing a few weeks before the due date and I realized that the pieces I had chosen to compete in were much more difficult than I had expected. In addition to this, just two weeks before the due date, I caught a cold. I had a high fever and a very swollen throat. I had difficulty formulating the most simple sentences. I was in bed all day, drinking warm soup, and sleeping, trying to get better. But the cold wouldn't go away and I was stuck in bed for the next few days. Consequently, I wasn't able to practice for about a week. I could only hum the melody and listen to the recorded version over and over again.
By the time I had gotten better, there wasn't much time until the deadline. However, I knew the song perfectly as I had listened to it so much while being sick. As the starting chords played in the background, the melody started to flow out of my mouth. Although the sound was a little raspy as it was the first time in days since my throat last made a sound, I was able to finish the song without making any errors. So surprised, I gulped down the water next to me and started to sing again, this time the melody sounding clear and perfect. I practiced, again and again, to make up for the lost time and a few days later, I began to record. Everyone told me not to push myself as I had been sick not too long ago. However, I didn't listen to their worries. I closed my eyes and belted out the melody. As I reached the last note of the song and opened my eyes, I heard the clap of my family who had been watching me record. They told me this was one of the best performances they've heard from me. And as to prove them right, I received a Gold and Platinum award for a piece written before 1750 and a piece in a foreign language. Each meaning my results were above 90% and 95%. For this award, I also got a bursary of 50 dollars and a medal as a promising junior voice performer. By receiving these, I felt compensated for the tough two weeks I spent, preparing for this festival.
KPU International Music Festival Awards
Whenever I am stressed out, I listen to some of my favorite songs and become relaxed before carrying on actions to relieve my stress. Although I merely kept my interest in music as no more than a hobby, the last competition spurred my interest in music even more. I felt as if I had to polish my skill in music even more, so that I won't regret the past, moaning about the job title that I hold in the future.
I came upon one conclusion when I sat on my bed after school, thinking about the ways to polish my musical skills. I could persuade my mom to buy me a piano, soundproof the walls before singing along the lyrics, or participate in the orchestra class in school. Even though these ideas were great, I wasn't satisfied. I wanted something that would heat up my ambition and thrill me at the same time. When I was thinking and thinking over a long period of time, my mother noticed my change and asked me if anything went wrong. I hesitated at first, but eventually shared my concern with her. She thought for a moment and turned on the laptop. Then, she said, "Hey, what about searching for some insightful suggestions, such as music competitions?" Immediately, I felt that this suggestion was the one I was looking for. Since then, I spent my precious after-school time surfing online, looking for various competitions that could help polish my skills.
That was when I came upon the KPU International Music Festival. Although it was a shame that the competition was held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, people could still watch my performance and evaluate it. I was excited to see the feedback they would provide, which would help me realize my weaknesses and ways to improve it.
This competition was held in three sections, and I decided to participate in all three sections because I didn't want to be evaluated partially. I wanted the judges to look at every single part. Before the competition, I practiced whenever I had time. It was exhausting because I had to practice three different songs immaculately, while others only had to practice one song. But, my endeavor paid off. I earned three certificates, which surprised me
San Francisco International Innovative Music Competition - 2nd Place
Everyone has some method to relieve stress. Some people would hang out with friends or play video games. But, I don't find much fun playing games. Instead, I spend more time listening to and playing music. Whenever I am stressed out from attending school 5 days a week, I just plug in earphones and imagine the world with music being the top priority. On weekends, since I have more time, I play classic music on the piano before I am relaxed enough to finish my homework. That was when I was surfing online and come upon an online music competition. I immediately knew that it was a good opportunity to show my interest in music to others.
First, I had to decide which category to participate in. I could choose between piano, strings and woodwinds, and voice. Then, I had to choose between baroque, classical, romantic, and contemporary. I had a hard time making a decision, because I loved singing as much as playing the piano. Also, I loved classics as much as I loved contemporary music. I couldn't make a decision myself, so I asked for advice from some of my friends who loved to listen to music. I still remember one of my friends saying, "Hey, I know you have a unique voice. It doesn't make sense to decide to play the piano. You should sing!" This piece of advice was crucial in making me participate in the contemporary voice category. I always dreamed of other people listening to my music, and this was the chance to let people know of my skills.
After I decided which category to participate in, I went through my music playlist and chose a song that is well known. Then, I practiced and practiced, whenever I had time. I didn't have much time during the weekdays because I didn't want my mother to discuss with my teacher about the incompleted homework. So, I only had weekends to practice and polish my voice. Although it was sad that I couldn't meet my friends, the desire to show off my talents my greater. After a few weekends full of schedule to practice music, I had to upload my music video before the deadline.
At first, I began singing without much thought, but ever since I realized that I was recording to submit online, sweat started to roll off my cheek. I never forgot the lyrics between practices but the extreme anxiety made me forget the lyrics, and I spent the whole day recording the video until I was satisfied with the outcome. That night, I was frustrated with myself because I practiced for a long time to produce the best outcome. But, the result was good but not excellent. Several school days passed and it was almost the time before the competition results were about to be released. I expected a certificate of participation and went to the website. But, to my surprise, I received a 2nd place certificate unexpectedly. The frustration I had about myself disappeared into nowhere, and I got confidence about my ability that I overlooked. This was the first certificate that I earned from a prestigious organization that made me confident about my musical skills. I would like to thank my friends and parents for supporting me through the competition.
2023 Winter StemCo Mathematics Secondary Junior - Silver Award
Winning the StemCo Math competition held great significance for me, as it represented a major shift in my personal interests and aspirations. Up until that point, I had primarily been focused on singing competitions, which were very enjoyable. This sudden change allowed me to explore new challenges, unlocking the untapped potential within myself. By taking a risk and embracing a completely different path, I discovered a liking for mathematics and its power to shape the world around us.
70th Annual Junior Bach Festival
