What is your role with HMTA, and what do you love about it?
My main role with HMTA is planning the HSMC and MTNA competitions. I love being able to contribute to the local music community which is extremely rewarding. HMTA connects teachers, students, and parents through events like Stringmania, Pair Up and Play, and Side-by-Side, which really bring everyone closer together.
What are you most excited about musically in the next year?
Next week, I’m playing with the Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra in a concert featuring Joyce Yang performing Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. The program also includes Brahms Symphony No. 1, which has a lovely violin solo, so please come and listen!
Also, I teach every year at HCMF (Hawai‘i Chamber Music Festival) in June, and I really love working with the students there. The teachers play chamber music with the students, and the atmosphere is just so special. Stefan Jackiw the music director will perform with his group the Junction Trio. Here’s a link to all the concerts, and by using the promo code “VIP”, HMTA subscribers can get a 50% discount on tickets. Tickets — Hawaiʻi Chamber Music Festival
What is one of the most important pieces of advice that you were given as a musician or teacher?
My mom always told me, “The person who stays with it the longest is the one who truly succeeds.” I didn’t fully understand it back then, but now I see how true and powerful that mindset is.
My father, on the other hand, used to say, “You live your whole life on what you’ve learned by the age of twenty.” Of course, we have to keep learning and adapting constantly but I’ve come to understand the deeper truth in his words. There’s a short window when we grow explosively, when we absorb things like a sponge, when our hands respond quickly and our minds are wide open. That time never comes back, and using it meaningfully is incredibly important.
Who was one of your greatest musical mentors and how have they guided you as a musician, teacher, or person?
Dr. Nam with her teacher and mentor, Ik-Hwan Bae
My greatest musical mentor was Ik-Hwan Bae, with whom I studied for six years at Indiana. He was an exceptional violinist and dedicated teacher. He always made time for his students despite his busy schedule, and would arrive at school at 6am to practice before his 9am lessons. What I admired most about Ik-Hwan Bae was that, for him, it was always about the music. There was no ego, no pretentiousness. It was about serving the music with honesty and humility.
In addition to his fantastic musicianship, he was a great human being. At the end of each semester, he would cook for the whole studio, and I will never forget the taste of those delicious meals. He always had a very practical and grounded view of the world and everything he gave us both through his teaching and by the way he lived shaped who I am today. He is the kind of musician, teacher, and person that I aspire to be.
How do you motivate and encourage your students to succeed?
I think one of my talents as an educator is being able to identify each student’s strengths and areas for growth. Every student has their own personality and skillset and I work to bring out the best in each of them. Of course, we aim for excellence with high standards, but I always try to nurture each student’s unique qualities along the way.
Ultimately, I want them to believe in themselves and have confidence in their abilities. In the end, music is about living a fuller life. I hope that the grit and discipline they learn through music carries over into everything else they do. I’ve lived my life primarily centered around music, so I love seeing my students’ varied interests and the ways in which music inspires them. That balance is beautiful to me.
BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Yuseon Nam has quickly made a positive impact on the musical community of Hawaiʻi since her arrival in the fall of 2017. She is a fulltime member of the Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra, maintains a large private studio, and teaches at ʻIolani School. Dr. Nam did her undergraduate studies at Seoul National University, and the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music where she received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, summa cum laude, studying with Ik-Hwan Bae.
Dr. Nam completed her doctoral degree in violin performance and literature at the Eastman School of Music, studying with Federico Agostini. She was Professor Agostini’s teaching assistant, and also taught violin courses at the University of Rochester. Dr. Nam also studied with Mimi Zweig at Indiana University to complete her master’s degree outside area in violin/viola pedagogy. While at Indiana, she taught students in the Indiana University String Academy.
Dr. Nam is an active soloist and chamber musician. She has performed throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. Dr. Nam was the founder of the Felix Trio, and they were featured at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., the Yujung Arts Center in Seoul, and invited as a resident trio at the Banff Centre Chamber Music Residency. Dr. Nam has been a prizewinner in numerous competitions, and has performed as a soloist with orchestras across the world including the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, Korean-American Youth Orchestra, and Romanian State Orchestra. Also an accomplished viola player, Dr. Nam was invited as a viola guest artist to the International Chamber Music Festival of Puerto Rico.