When talking to senior music major and assistant choir conductor Sungmin Kim ’18 about his upcoming performance, it is easy to see the passion and excitement behind his every word. Kim’s senior thesis recital in piano and choral conducting spans hundreds of years and thousands of miles to bring together an array of Eurocentric instrumental and vocal pieces. Heavily focused on music native to romance language countries including France, Italy, and Germany, Kim’s repertoire showcases music written by composers whom he describes as “leaders and masters of the classical and romantic genres.” His performance will be sectioned in two parts, the first consisting of solo piano and the second showcasing his skills in choral conducting.
Working under the guidance of Professor Rob Cole and Professor Jace Saplan, Kim has been able to refine his talents and progress tremendously as an artist and performer over his past four years at Hamilton. He described the encouraging nature of Hamilton’s music department, saying, “While there may not be many music majors at Hamilton, there is such a strong and wonderful music program that anyone can benefit from artistically”. When deciding whether or not he wanted to pursue music as a major early in his college career, Kim recounted how it was people like Professors Cole and Saplan who helped him gain enough confidence in his musical ability to think about music as a career after Hamilton. When asked about professor Cole — the professor overseeing his thesis — he fondly mentioned the advice he gives “that conveys the expressiveness of the piece of music so effectively,” his discipline, and the respect he has for him.
With the guidance of Hamilton’s support system, Kim has navigated the struggles of learning to conduct an ensemble, and drawn on these new skills to improve upon his experience with piano accompaniment.
Being able to think “on the spot and always be listening to your surroundings” in order to identify what works and what does not is one of the most important skills needed when conduct- ing. Kim stated that “identifying the problem among multiple sections of voices and figuring out the best way to fix it” quickly and efficiently is one of the hardest aspects of conducting, but one he has become increasingly more proficient in during his time at Hamilton.
Learning to conduct has allowed him to develop body awareness and pedagogy, as well as being able to articulate what he wants in music, which are skills that easily transcend into solo piano. A lot of singers come from very different musical backgrounds, and learning how to cater to the needs of each musician during rehearsal, while challenging, is extremely rewarding. Kim described how people going out of their way to rehearse with him on his thesis is something he is extremely grateful for, and how moved he is when people say “thank you” at the end of rehearsal. The idea of being able to impact students through music is something he truly cherishes.
When asked about any advice he would give future music majors on campus, Kim smiles and says, “Do music. With the flexibility and attentiveness of the department, whatever you want to get out of your musical experience, you will through the Hamilton curriculum.”
In rehearsal, he says nerves will come easily when thinking about the 60 eyes looking at your every move, but it is important to “have fun and maintain a strong relationship with your choir members” in order to have the most beneficial experience. Kim is set to attend graduate school for music at Ithaca College next year, hoping to build upon his knowledge from Hamilton and become a professional pianist in the near future.
Sungmin Kim’s senior thesis performance will debut in Wellin Hall on Sunday, April 15 at 3 PM, and his additional organ recital will be held in the Chapel on May 6, at 2:30 PM.
