Strath Haven High School senior Isaiah Kim has recently been invited to solo on the cello with the well-known and respected Philadelphia Orchestra on Tuesday, October 9, at 7:30 pm at the Kimmel Center. This invitation was extended to Isaiah as a part of the Philadelphia Orchestra’s annual Albert M. Greenfield Competition. Isaiah is the 2018 winner in the Junior division, which assesses students ages 13 to 16 who study in the Greater Philadelphia area on their “exceptional talent, virtuosity, artistic individuality, and comportment as a performer”.
“I am very excited for the performance!” Isaiah said. “Of course there are some nerves that go along with the excitement, but because it’s such a special performance I really just want to enjoy the moment.” Most people would consider this moment once-in-a-lifetime, but because of Isaiah’s exceptional musical talent, it is actually the second time he will be performing on the Kimmel Center stage. His first performance with the Philadelphia Orchestra was six years ago in his sixth grade year, when he won the Children’s division of the Greenfield Competition.
“As for preparation, it’s always difficult to balance my cello with schoolwork but it is especially busy now with college apps, so I’m just trying my best to practice consistently and effectively before the performance.” Isaiah explained. The piece Isaiah is performing is the 1st Movement of Antonin Dvorak’s Cello Concerto, which he has actually been playing for around 3 years. “I am very comfortable with it,” Isaiah explains, “But there are always ways I can make it better”. This piece is the song he entered the Greenfield Competition with, and is also Isaiah’s favorite cello concerto. Isaiah further comments on the song by saying, “It has an amazing orchestra part, so it’s going to be incredible to hear the Philadelphia Orchestra playing behind me”.
Like most seniors, Isaiah has yet to decide what his plans are for after high school, but he knows that “music will definitely play a prominent role in the rest of [his] life”. Luckily, the nature of music as an art makes it easy to fit into all kinds of lifestyles. Best of luck to Isaiah with his performance on October 9 and with all of his future endeavors.
