Oberlin Portrait: Hee-Guen Song

Violinist and Conerto Competition Winner Hee-Guen Song

When violinist Hee-Guen Song '01 came to the United States from Seoul, Korea, she was a shy, soft-spoken 15-year-old, at once intrigued and overwhelmed by the new language and culture around her.

"The only thing I could say was, 'Hi' and 'How are you?' I couldn't really talk to people," Song recalls with a laugh. "I just smiled and nodded a lot and said, 'yes!'"

With a sudden tinge of seriousness in her voice, Song admits, "The frustrating thing was that I couldn't communicate. It was tough. And sometimes, I have to say, it was very lonely."

Now, nearly six years later, not only is Song's English impeccable, but her communication skills on the musical level have been recognized across the globe. She won first place at the prestigious Kingsville International Young Performers Competition in 1999, and was a prizewinner at the 1998 Irving M. Klein Competition for Strings. She has been the recipient of numerous honors from her native Korea, including the Iiwha'Kyunghang Competition, the Korean Newspaper Competition, the Chosun Newspaper Competition and the World Newspaper Competition. Most recently, as a winner of the 2000 Oberlin Conservatory Concerto Competition, Song performed the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with the Oberlin Orchestra under the direction of Paul Polivnick, music director of the Oberlin Conservatory orchestras.

Song is no stranger to the concert stage, however; she debuted in San Francisco with the Nova Vista Symphony Orchestra when she was just 16 years old.

Song began her training in Seoul at the age of eight, first as a student of a distant relative and soon thereafter under the rigorous guidance of Korean violinist Kyung-Ok Chung. "She was a great teacher, but she was so strict, and really scary," Song remembers. "I think I cried in every lesson."

Song attended an arts high school in Korea for a short while before immigrating to the United States to study with Davis Law at the Preparatory Division of the San Francisco Conservatory. She was able to make the transition into American life and American conservatory training smoothly.

"Mr. Law was one of the nicest people I"ve ever known," says Song. "He helped me so much, as a teacher and as a person, and he really took care of me during my first few years in this country, while I was homesick."

Song met violin professors Roland and Almita Vamos one summer at the Weathersfield Festival in Vermont, and was instantly impressed by their friendly but demanding teaching style. "When I began studying with the Vamoses, I got so much more involved in music," Song says. "Before, I just sort of followed the road, like everybody else. They taught me how to feel things, how to say things, how to relate to music."

Still in high school, Song picked up and moved from San Francisco to Oberlin to live and study with the Vamoses. The task was not an easy one. She had weekly lessons and practiced fiendishly while attending Oberlin High School, where she struggled with English classes and challenging coursework.

But she persevered. "I tend to set a goal, and go for it. It's kind of exciting. I like the feeling after I achieve something. I feel great."

The Vamoses would second that assertion. Almita Vamos, her teacher of four years, has nothing but superlatives to impart on Hee-Guen's behalf. "I always say Hee-Guen is one of my easiest students. She adapts well, has talent and intelligence, works very hard, and above all has great character."

Next year, Hee-Guen will continue her studies at the Juilliard School with celebrated violinist Masao Kawasaki.

What inspired you to be a musician? What keeps you inspired on discouraging days?
When I was young, I would go to a concert and think I wanted to be a musician because they looked very nice and cool on the stage. I especially wanted to be a conductor because they looked the best! I did not know how hard it is to be able to stand on the stage, though. I like the fact that I can actually inspire and move other people with my music. I play what I feel, what I want to say, and I can communicate with listeners. I think that is what keeps me inspired on discouraging days.

What is the most memorable performance you have ever seen and why?
I went to a summer festival two summers ago and it was actually a concerto competition final round. A girl there played the Rachmaninoff Rhapsody on a theme by Paganini. I was sitting at the last row but the big hall suddenly seemed so small to me. What she projected was amazing. I think it was the first time I realized what getting into the music really was. It was one of not very many concerts that made me cry.

If you could perform with any musician, living or dead, who would it be? What would you perform?
Well, I haven't really thought about any musicians I want to perform with. I would want to play chamber music with Peter Oundjian, [former first violinist with the Tokyo String Quartet]. I had a very inspiring lesson with him. It would be great if I could play with him. I am sure I could learn so much.

If you could master another instrument, what would it be?
If I could master another instrument, it would be the piano. I am taking secondary piano lessons with Elena Loskova '03. I am not very good, though. I want to be able to play the piano well because there are so many great pieces written for piano and it would be great if I could play any of them.

If you could not be a musician, what other profession would you choose? What profession would you definitely not choose?
I don't know what I would want to do. Maybe a schoolteacher or something that has less pressure and less competition. I would not be a scientist or a doctor because I am not good at math and science!

What do you listen to for inspiration? In your free time? After a long day?
When I am home at night, I usually listen to soft rock 102.1! I want to listen to something light and comfortable after a long day. I hardly listen to classical music at home. I probably don't want to hear it because that is what I play all the time.

What do you like to read?
I like to read cartoon books and novels. I like romance novels, too. I don't get to read so much because it takes so much time for me to read something that is written in English. I also try to read the Bible but that is the hardest.

What are three words that describe you?
Simple, positive, and shy.