Like many of ±«Óătvâs 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 werenât necessarily the usual list: ±«Óătv, The Cleveland Institute, JulliardâŠ
But letâs start at the beginning.
âMy dad first brought home my violin when I was six,â Mr. Choi tells me when we finally get a chance to chat (heâs got a jam-packed schedule). âThat was two years after I moved here from Korea.â He doesnât 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 ±«Óătv 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, âHeemin is really a completely normal kid. Heâs been involved in sports⊠lots of community stuff.â Claims of complete normalcy notwithstanding, Prof. Djokic does admit, âI only take a very few exceptional students.â
âIt didnât help that was a huge procrastinator in high school,â Mr. Choi says of his high-school student/violinist double life. âThere were a lot of late nights.â
He also evolved some unique coping strategies for the stresses of auditions and performance. âThe only thing I canât do is eat really good food before I play,â since he once âblankedâ in a performance following a gourmet dinner when he was 11.
Now? âI always eat snacks or junk food before I play.â
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 â or somewhere else?
âMost Canadian students think that American schools are better,â says Prof. Djokic of Heeminâs tough decision. âCanadian schools are equal now, I find. But itâs hard to get rid of that. Thereâs a stigma.â Of his students, Prof. Djokic says, âIâm always encouraging them to try, at least, for the best schools. I consider ±«Óătv one of the best schools as well, but you have to be impartial.â
Mr. Choi, of course, applied to many schools besides ±«Óătv. 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. âHeâs just accomplished so much in his career,â he says of his teacher. âWeâre pretty lucky to have him here in Halifax.â
An unexpected award
Thatâs not the end of the story, though. Before even taking his first class at ±«Óătv, Heemin was nominated by Dalâs music department for the Hnatyshyn Foundationâs prestigious Developing Artist Grant â and received the scholarship.
âRight after school ended, almost, a lady called me. I thought it was just another telemarketer,â he says. When he realized the real reason for the callâthat heâd received a grant valued at $10,000âhe says, âIt was a good feeling, but totally unexpected!â
âItâs definitely very prestigious for the department,â says Jaqueline Warwick, the music departmentâs chair. âItâs a great recognition of the calibre of the strings program⊠to get this kind of recognition and support for a developing student is a huge thing.â
When he finishes at ±«Óătv, Mr. Choi has an eye on taking a masterâs degree from another music school â Julliard, the Cleveland Institute, or the New England Conservatory.
âIâve always wanted to try composing and conducting, but itâs pretty terrifying, that stuffâŠfor now, itâs just another of those goals that I tend to try and accomplish.â
For the time being, heâs happy to be at ±«Óătv. âMr. Djokic is really one of the finest teachers around and thereâs still a lot I can learn from him.â