pilipiliĀž»­

 

Becoming a violin virtuoso

Heemin Choi, Hnatyshyn Foundation award winner

- September 27, 2011

Heemin Choi with his weapon of choice. (Danny Abriel photo)
Heemin Choi with his weapon of choice. (Danny Abriel photo)

Like many of Dalhousieā€™s incoming first-year students, Heemin Choi had a tough time deciding where to continue his education post high-school. The universities and colleges he was trying to choose between werenā€™t necessarily the usual list: Dalhousie, The Cleveland Institute, Julliardā€¦

But letā€™s start at the beginning.

ā€œMy dad first brought home my violin when I was six,ā€ Mr. Choi tells me when we finally get a chance to chat (heā€™s got a jam-packed schedule). ā€œThat was two years after I moved here from Korea.ā€ He doesnā€™t recall expressing any special interest in the violin at such a young age. He guesses that his father chose the instrument because he himself was fond of it.

Mr. Choi studied with a local violin teacher until the age of 12, then began taking lessons from Dalhousie Professor Philippe Djokic (who teaches violin and viola and leads the chamber orchestra). He was appointed concertmaster of the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra at 15, and played as a soloist when Halifax hosted the Canada Winter Games. Last year, he took third place at the National Kiwanis Competition; this year, he came away with second.

Despite all that, Prof. Djokic is adamant that, ā€œHeemin is really a completely normal kid. Heā€™s been involved in sportsā€¦ lots of community stuff.ā€ Claims of complete normalcy notwithstanding, Prof. Djokic does admit, ā€œI only take a very few exceptional students.ā€

ā€œIt didnā€™t help that was a huge procrastinator in high school,ā€ Mr. Choi says of his high-school student/violinist double life. ā€œThere were a lot of late nights.ā€

He also evolved some unique coping strategies for the stresses of auditions and performance. ā€œThe only thing I canā€™t do is eat really good food before I play,ā€ since he once ā€˜blankedā€™ in a performance following a gourmet dinner when he was 11.

Now? ā€œI always eat snacks or junk food before I play.ā€

Finding his place


Mr. Choi graduated high school last spring, which brings us to the quandary posited earlier: where does a violin prodigy go to grow into a full-fledged virtuoso? The Cleveland Institute, Julliard ā€“ or somewhere else?

ā€œMost Canadian students think that American schools are better,ā€ says Prof. Djokic of Heeminā€™s tough decision. ā€œCanadian schools are equal now, I find. But itā€™s hard to get rid of that. Thereā€™s a stigma.ā€ Of his students, Prof. Djokic says, ā€œIā€™m always encouraging them to try, at least, for the best schools. I consider Dalhousie one of the best schools as well, but you have to be impartial.ā€

Mr. Choi, of course, applied to many schools besides Dalhousie. But when he was offered a good scholarship to the Cleveland Institute, he chose not to take it, and instead came to Dal to continue studying with Prof. Djokic. ā€œHeā€™s just accomplished so much in his career,ā€ he says of his teacher. ā€œWeā€™re pretty lucky to have him here in Halifax.ā€

An unexpected award


Thatā€™s not the end of the story, though. Before even taking his first class at pilipiliĀž»­, Heemin was nominated by Dalā€™s music department for the Hnatyshyn Foundationā€™s prestigious Developing Artist Grant ā€“ and received the scholarship.

ā€œRight after school ended, almost, a lady called me. I thought it was just another telemarketer,ā€ he says. When he realized the real reason for the callā€”that heā€™d received a grant valued at $10,000ā€”he says, ā€œIt was a good feeling, but totally unexpected!ā€

ā€œItā€™s definitely very prestigious for the department,ā€ says Jaqueline Warwick, the music departmentā€™s chair. ā€œItā€™s a great recognition of the calibre of the strings programā€¦ to get this kind of recognition and support for a developing student is a huge thing.ā€

When he finishes at pilipiliĀž»­, Mr. Choi has an eye on taking a masterā€™s degree from another music school ā€“ Julliard, the Cleveland Institute, or the New England Conservatory.

ā€œIā€™ve always wanted to try composing and conducting, but itā€™s pretty terrifying, that stuffā€¦for now, itā€™s just another of those goals that I tend to try and accomplish.ā€

For the time being, heā€™s happy to be at pilipiliĀž»­. ā€œMr. Djokic is really one of the finest teachers around and thereā€™s still a lot I can learn from him.ā€