The Cello Sherpa Podcast

"Euniquely Multi-Talented" - An Interview with Violinist Eunice Kim, Member of The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra

• Joel Dallow • Season 5 • Episode 24

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What if a great music career isn’t either–or but yes–and? The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, sits down with violinist Eunice Kim to explore how a childhood steeped in sound turned into a life that balances the intimacy of chamber music, the rigor of orchestral work, and the freedom of solo projects. From a seven-year-old debut in Seoul to the charged Saturdays at the San Francisco Conservatory prep division and the whirlwind of Aspen Music Festival, Eunice learned early to juggle scope and to listen as intensely as she plays.

That mindset prepared her for the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, a conductorless ensemble where every rehearsal is chamber music at scale. Eunice shares what it takes to thrive in that environment: crisp time management, shared leadership, and the courage to contribute without crowding the room. We talk through her unusual path into the SPCO—from recruitment play-ins to a recital-style audition heavy on chamber interaction—and why fit matters as much as chops. She pulls back the curtain on section size, rotating seats, balancing the hall’s acoustics, and how “wearing different hats” each week keeps her learning and inspired.

Outside the orchestra, Eunice maps out a modern approach to projects, programming, and management. After formative years with Astral Artists, she connected with Jonathan Wentworth Associates by pairing thoughtful repertoire with authentic stage presence, then shaped a partnership that respects her SPCO home base. We dig into how programs get built, why presenters chase narrative and variety, and how collaborations—from piano sonatas to a violin–double bass duo—can open doors. Her advice to young players is frank and generous: stay curious, try things twice, understand how organizations work, advocate clearly, and protect your energy to avoid burnout.

Subscribe for more conversations that demystify auditions, artist–manager relationships, and the real craft of making a sustainable, creative life in music. If this resonated, share it with a friend and leave a review to help others find the show.

For more information on Eunice Kim: https://www.eunicekimviolin.com/

You can also find Eunice on Instagram and Facebook: @eunipalooooza

If you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition coachings, check out www.theCelloSherpa.com

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For more information on our sponsor: www.CLEAResources.com 

SPEAKER_01:

Welcome to the Cello Shipa Podcast, where we explore all aspects of the climb to the summit from intermediate musician to the professional stage. Check us out online at the cellostripa.com or follow us on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube at the Cello Shipa. I'm Joel Dallow, your host. I joined the cello section of the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra in 1999 and founded the Riverside Chamber Players based in Roswell, Georgia, in 2003. If you're looking for a bit of extra help on learning your orchestra or solo repertoire, perhaps we can help. Visit www.thecellochirpa.com and drop us a line. We offer virtual or in-person lessons. Today's episode is sponsored by Clear Resources, your premier resource for compliance, legal, ethics, and risk. For more information, visit them online at clearesources.com. Today's guest is violinist Eunice Kim. She made her solo debut at the age of seven with the Korean Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra in Seoul. Eunice is a member of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and continues to maintain a robust solo and chamber music career outside of the orchestra. Thank you so much for joining us today on the Cello Sharpa podcast.

SPEAKER_00:

Thank you so much for inviting me. I'm excited to be here.

SPEAKER_01:

So I first met Eunice many summers ago at the Chamber Music Festival of the Black Hills, located in Rapid City, South Dakota. We've since had many opportunities to perform together out there, and it's always a highlight of my year to play chamber music with her. So can you talk about your early journey with the violin? How did you first get started and what inspired you to pursue music professionally?

SPEAKER_00:

Sure. Well, to start off, I come from a very music-loving family, although no one else made a career of it. My mom has kept up her piano playing since she was a kid. And my dad has taught himself how to play the guitar, to sing, to arrange music. So perhaps he's actually the real talent of the family. For as long as I could remember, music was always a part of our household. Now, when I was the ripe age of six months old, my parents started dropping me off at a nanny's house almost every day since they were both working. And her son happened to be a young professional violinist. So I grew up listening to him practice, perform, teach.

SPEAKER_02:

Wow.

SPEAKER_00:

And when I turned five, my mom and I both decided that maybe I'd give violin a try. And he eventually became my early teacher.

SPEAKER_01:

Hmm. So what is he doing now?

SPEAKER_00:

I think he's still teaching. I believe he's like, you know, one of the main teachers in the Silicon Valley area and has a huge studio and has produced a lot of, you know, great musicians. And he was the concertmaster of the San Jose Symphony when it existed at the time. Yeah, he was a fantastic teacher.

SPEAKER_01:

So you grew up in Silicon Valley. Were you born there?

SPEAKER_00:

I grew up in the Bay Area. It's actually really close to the San Francisco airport in this little town called San Bruno. And it was really amazing. Now that I look back on it, it was amazing to be in the Bay Area because there was so much activity and opportunities for young musicians. So yeah, I think I'm really appreciative now as an adult that I grew up in such a place.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. Well, so you started at five and then you made your debut at seven in Seoul. How did that come about?

SPEAKER_00:

If I remember correctly, I believe it was just sending a recording to the conductor. It was almost like a concerto competition via recording.

SPEAKER_02:

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_00:

And my mom had, you know, helped make my recording, my early teacher at the time, and then we sent it over. And next thing I knew, I was getting a callback saying, we'd love to have you fly out here. And wow. I didn't really know what that meant as a seven-year-old. You know, I had barely seen an orchestra live many times before. So it was an exciting opportunity. And in my head, I was just thinking, great, I get to go see Grandma, Grandpa in Korea. And they get to come see me perform. So yeah, I guess that was kind of my first big performance.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. What did you play?

SPEAKER_00:

Vivaldi, a minor concerto. And I believe it was just one movement. And I very much remember just staring at the audience while I was playing. And I didn't know what was happening. It was such a huge hall. And I was standing on this, you know, like two-foot-tall podium so that the orchestra would be able to see me.

SPEAKER_01:

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, it was a great time.

SPEAKER_01:

And do you remember how at that age and not really being very experienced with an orchestra, how you were able to prepare for that or how your teacher got you ready for that opportunity?

SPEAKER_00:

Thankfully, my mom plays piano, right? So she practiced with me a lot. And she, you know, up to a certain age with a lot of repertoire, she actually accompanied me and would practice with me a ton. So I got to know the orchestra part quite well with that kind of practice with her and would listen to recordings, would play with recordings. But yeah, mainly I think it was really helpful that my mom was a musician as well and she could help me and be so involved in these early years of my life.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, it is great to have pianists in the family. Both my parents were pianists, so I had so much opportunity to play the sonata repertoire that a lot of people don't get, which was great. That's amazing. So, okay, when you had this opportunity at seven, would you say that that was the spark that started it all? Did you think from that moment forward I want to do this, or did you just keep going down this path and eventually come to that conclusion?

SPEAKER_00:

I was surrounded by such tremendous talent growing up. Like I look back at local competitions I did, and I did start competing at a very early age. And there were so many orchestras in my area where, you know, there were concerto competitions and opportunities. So it was really amazing that I had this motivation around me with my peers being at the skill level that they were, and I was exposed to that. I was a part of the San Francisco Conservatory prep division, which I think sparked a little bit more of my interest.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Where I, you know, met other kids who were doing the same thing as me. And I was juggling a lot. For example, every Saturday, I'd go there, you know, 8 a.m., start with a private lesson, go to chamber music coachings, master classes, playing the student recitals, playing the chamber orchestra in the afternoons, and then maybe attend a concert later that night. So it was a packed day. And this to me was what it was to be a musician. So it was really exciting to be in the center of all of that. And on top of all of that, I started going to music festivals pretty early on. I was 10 years old when I went to Aspen Music Festival for the first time. And that alone just opened my eyes to a whole new world where it could take you. And I went there for I think three summers in a row. And again, just I remember being overwhelmed with juggling everything Aspen had to offer, you know, like rehearsing for orchestra, chamber music, practicing, lessons, studio classes, lectures, the concerto competitions, you know. And of course, being a kid, I wanted to make as many friends as possible. And it was really amazing being around young kids who had the same passion as I did. So those things alone, I think, really sparked, you know, something in me. And I would say from a very early age, I was hungry to try and participate in basically everything I could. And I never really thought twice about music seriously.

SPEAKER_01:

It just happened organically, is what it sounds like.

SPEAKER_00:

Right.

SPEAKER_01:

So there wasn't a moment that you could pinpoint where you would say that was the moment where this is how I want to spend my days as a professional.

SPEAKER_00:

Right. And like I said, just growing up, music was always a part of my life. And I was just exposed to everything so quickly. And at an early age, I didn't realize there was another option for another path.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. Well, how would you say then all of that experience prepared you for the multifaceted career you have today? Was this sort of the career you had in mind? Or were you thinking at that age, I want to be a soloist? Because I know that that's pretty common too.

SPEAKER_00:

Right. I think as a kid, like your mind just goes to, I'm going to be a soloist because, you know, when you're competing, that's kind of the mindset you're at.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, I didn't quite know. I just thought, you know, I would say I started playing chamber music at a pretty early age as well. So not that I knew that it was a career I could find myself in, but I started seeing other areas that I could participate in. And like I said, I did chamber orchestra for my prep division. So in my head, being a musician meant you did everything.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Perhaps that prepared me for wanting to, you know, juggle and balance many things in my career. But yeah, I think that was, again, like a very normal thing to me that you did your solo and then you played chamber music, you did orchestra, and you juggled it all, and that's what it meant to be a musician.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, that makes sense. Well, and it also makes sense sort of how you came to the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. I mean, it's known for its collaborative structure without a traditional conductor. And how does that influence your experience as a violinist and chamber musician? I mean, you have a very unique career. You get to do all these things outside of the chamber orchestra, but you sort of have that as your base. And I don't know that there's a lot of people, certainly in the traditional orchestra world that I'm living in, that are really straddling both parts of the profession in the way that you were even growing up. So, how did that opportunity come about and how did that get on your radar that that was something that you wanted to add to what you were already doing?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, you know, I grew up listening to the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. I remember listening to their recordings and hearing them on the radio as I'd be on my way to school. I did not quite have a plan to take auditions or to join an orchestra when the opportunity came about. But I was contacted by Roberto Diaz, president of Curtis, and he said, you know, there's a recruiting opportunity happening in New York with the SPCO, and maybe you should just go play for them. Did not know what that meant, but I just had this thing where I said yes to whatever came about. Oh, St. Paul's Champion Orchestra, right? So that was exciting to hear.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

I didn't know what recruitment meant, and I didn't know what I was supposed to prepare. And I asked, you know, what should I play? And he said, they said just come prepared with whatever you have. So went to New York. I think I played a movement of a Schubert sonata by myself, which is kind of funny. Maybe a couple movements of Bach. And I played for a couple of principal players. And next thing I know, they were asking me to come, you know, play as a sub for a couple of weeks. And I think that was my first time ever subbing with a professional orchestra. And I started hearing about their shift to becoming a conductorless orchestra and, like you said, having a more collaborative structure. So this was something I was very curious about. And I remember the first time I went to sub with them. I think I was, you know, like 21 and still at school. I remember Christian's Dakarias was the piano soloist that week without a conductor. And he led the orchestra purely with a sound. And I found that direct and intimate connection just really magical. And it was unlike any experience I had had before in an orchestral setting. So that kind of sparked something in me thinking this is a really uh unique ensemble. And every time I came back, I just felt nothing but excitement and just felt so fully engaged with, you know, the music making, but also the repertoire that we played. And maybe perhaps coming from such a small school like Curtis makes me like this more intimate setting of an ensemble more too. I think there's less than 30 of us, you know, there's maybe like 25 numbers right now. So we're a small group and I like this, you know, family-oriented kind of setting. And something really amazing about the SPCO is that, at least personally, I wear a different hat every week, it seems. For example, this month, I played chamber music. I learned, you know, works that I had never played before. I played in the orchestra in many different seats. And I will be playing a concerto this week. So just, you know, there's a huge range of things I'm doing, and it helps me learn while I'm here. And yeah, I think it's been a really special place.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. And I want to talk actually a little bit since you brought up the recruitment way that it went down for you, because it's not like you saw an ad in the international musician and went, I'm gonna go take that audition. Is that still the way that they're recruiting people, or do they have traditional auditions like you're seeing in other orchestras? How does it work? Were you part of a change in the way that things were happening and you ended up getting this opportunity because things were operating a little bit differently for a while? Or what's it like now compared to when you joined in that way?

SPEAKER_00:

Right. I don't think there have been any other recruitment auditions, especially one where, you know, we f flew out somewhere to hear, you know, students who were about to graduate. That that seemed like a special case at the time. We are doing more traditional auditions, and I believe that's what it's been for a very long time. And perhaps the way I auditioned here was a little more particular. But yeah, we have ads out there, we have open auditions. Every now and then we'll invite somebody to do a private audition, which was more, I guess, the path that I took because the recruitment really just introduced me to the orchestra. I started coming here to sub. But after that, you know, there seemed to be a good chemistry, and it seemed like both parties were interested. So then I was contacted by the artistic director at the time of the SPCO, and he said, Would you like to come do an official audition? And that was me coming here playing for a panel, you know, a couple excerpts, mostly chamber music, playing some chamber music with some principal players, a handle concerto grosso, and you know, a Mozart concerto and some box, something like that. It was more like a recital form.

SPEAKER_02:

Wow.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, so it was a special audition. And even just from the audition process, I could tell that it was the special place. You know, like your voice very much matters and your participation very much matters.

SPEAKER_01:

Do you think without this opportunity you would have ended up in an orchestra?

SPEAKER_00:

I don't know. I can't tell you where my brain was when I graduated school because at the time it seemed like I had enough things going for me. You know, I had opportunities to do Curtis on tours, and then I had astral artists at the time, and they kept me busy with things here and there. And, you know, just being in Philadelphia in general, there's a lot happening within the that vicinity, you know, New York, DC, Boston, and you know, you're just kind of doing whatever you can. So I was keeping busy for the most part, and then I started thinking to myself, you know, a little sort of stability would be nice. And uh, I don't know, I felt a different kind of excitement and energy when I came and played with the SPCO. I felt like I was learning something very new all over again, and that was really exciting to me. And then going on tour with SPCO for the first time and just feeling this sense of community within this ensemble. And like I said, every week, even when I started off, I was wearing different hats and it was challenging and it pushed me to do things that maybe I wasn't so comfortable doing, and I liked that about this career. So yeah, I didn't quite have a plan of XYZ, you know, joining an orchestra or trying something else out, but it just all happened quite naturally, and I feel very lucky.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. Well, what would you say are some of the biggest artistic rewards and challenges of working in such a democratic chamber-oriented orchestra?

SPEAKER_00:

There are pros and cons to everything, you know, here in an orchestra. So, you know, everyone in the ensemble gets to speak up, every single person. You could be in the back, it could be a sub, but without a conductor, there needs to be extreme efficiency in time management and structure in general. And if we really only have what, like two and a half days to learn an entire program without a conductor, it's challenging.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, we have to be mindful about our priorities and if a particular suggestion or comment seems necessary or not, we have to think about that. But I do love, like I said before, everyone's voice matters so much. And it's very apparent if, you know, one out of four players in the violin section is not engaged. It's just we're such a tight little section. So I think that invigorates everybody more to give more. And, you know, of course, blending and sound and colors is a huge thing, but I think what you can bring individually is just as important. And I think, you know, if you point out every single person in the orchestra, I could tell you so many strengths, different strengths that everybody has, and it adds to the pot and makes it more flavorful. It's good.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. Well, so then who makes sure that the rehearsals stay on time? Is that the concert master's job?

SPEAKER_00:

It's the concertmaster's job. And sometimes we might, you know, kind of start veering off the path a little bit. And someone might say, Hey, we need to go on to the next thing, or you know, there might be a win player who says, Oh, we're worried about the next movement or the next piece. Can we start, you know, thinking about moving forward? And, you know, anyone's allowed to say, let's keep this moving. Yeah. But yeah, it is mainly up to the concert master to try to structure out the time or enough time for every piece so that we hit everything we need to.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, that makes sense. I mean, somebody has to do it.

SPEAKER_00:

Right.

SPEAKER_01:

I'm curious, what is your string count?

SPEAKER_00:

It should be four, four, four.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_00:

And then two cases, but you know, it can be different from time to time. Sometimes we have five firsts or four seconds. Yeah, I think that's mainly what we try to do. We still have some spots open in the violin section right now. So we fill it with some one-year players or subs. And yeah, I think it's fun because no one's ever really sitting in the same seat. You know, twice. And every seat because there's so few of us, it's it's a different kind of playing that's necessary.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. Sounds stressful.

SPEAKER_00:

Sure. Yeah, that's one way to put it.

SPEAKER_01:

So you're saying four firsts, four seconds, four violas, four cellos, two basses?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. And actually we just have one bassist, but sometimes we'll add in a second. And so we'll have a guest or you know, a sub come in and that's kind of if needed.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. That doesn't end up being too heavy with the four cellos being equal with all the other voices.

SPEAKER_00:

No. And also, I mean, we can this is kind of nerdy, but just based off of like how the acoustics work in our hall, usually the lower strings are in an area that's kind of harder to balance out. So it's always sounds a little bit trouble heavy. And, you know, and we are in such a higher range and register. So actually it works out nicely.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, that makes sense. Well, in addition to your orchestral work, you maintain an active solo and chamber music career. You're represented by Jonathan Wentworth and associates. How did you know when it was the right time to pick a manager? And how did you go about finding someone who was the right fit to your pretty unique career?

SPEAKER_00:

When I was at Curtis, I was given the opportunity to audition for astral artists. And some of my friends who I very much looked up to were on the roster of that. So I heard really great things about astral artists and having, you know, a group of people who support you and can manage you and, you know, also give you some opportunities while you're at school. And it sounded so great. So I auditioned for that and got onto the roster. And that almost seemed like the perfect time for when I was at school to have this group basically advocating for me and just kind of helping me navigate what life would be like after I graduate. And usually a musician stays on the astral roster for about four to five years. So luckily I had them, you know, for a couple of years after I had graduated, and they had given me, you know, great opportunities. Like soloing with the Philadelphia Orchestra was one of them, like such a highlight.

SPEAKER_02:

Wow.

SPEAKER_00:

And then my time came where it was, you know, time for me to rotate off the roster. And they happened to have a showcase where they'd invite a couple of presenters and managers from all over to Merkin Hall in New York. And they had a couple of us musicians rotating off the roster, just, you know, come play for them. And I was told, you know, play like a 20-minute showcase of something that represents you the best. So I did that. And luckily, like you said, Jonathan Wentworth Associates, they happened to be sitting there, and who is now my manager, Martha Woods, she was really interested and contacted me pretty quickly after the showcase. And we had lots of conversations because I think it's a little unusual for a manager to want to sign and commit to somebody who also has a full-time or testral job.

unknown:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

And I had already committed or was going to commit, something like that. You know, I had already been in talks with the SBCO to join the group and to move to St. Paul.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

So I was thinking there's there's going to be no manager who wants to sign me. It's just, you know, I'm not, I'm not doing just solo and going down that path. Yeah. But she was really interested and she said it was really fascinating to hear about the different things I was doing with the SBCO. And she really liked that I had that stability of a career and, you know, wasn't going to just lean on this one side to make a living. And she said it was really healthy to have, like you said, a multifaceted career. So she was very interested. And she just asked me how open I was to doing various projects and collaborations and solos. And I said, I will always try something once. And I am a yes person. So, you know, whatever you throw at me, I will try. And let's just see how it goes. And so that became a really beautiful relationship. And she has, you know, just also not only taken care of me as a musician, but as a person. And I think I got really lucky finding the right person for me.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. Did she give you some insight as to what stood out in your audition that made her interested in you?

SPEAKER_00:

I wish I could remember what I played in my showcase, but she said my programming was really interesting. And I chose to speak, and perhaps some other musicians did as well. But I spoke a little bit before each piece. And that happened to be the day after the election. I forget what year this was, like eight years ago.

SPEAKER_01:

Nine years ago. Something like that.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. So the showcase happened the day after the election. And New York City was like hauntingly deserted. And actually, a lot of presenters who were supposed to come to the showcase did not show up. It was a tough day to have that be scheduled, you know, the morning after. So I think I said something. Again, I don't remember. I was really nervous. I felt very uncomfortable at the time. And I, you know, thanked everyone for being there. And I said a couple of words about what it means that, you know, everybody's showing up and just what we're feeling today as a community and hopefully what music can do for us during this time. And, you know, she said the fact that I addressed a current event that was happening, but not, you know, so much in an offensive way, but like really connected with the people who were there. She said just immediately that struck her differently. And then she enjoyed the programming and then, you know, liked how I presented myself and my playing, and that just led to her being curious.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, that was that.

SPEAKER_01:

So then how do your projects take shape? Are they driven by you or by your manager? How does that work exactly?

SPEAKER_00:

It's both. I can tell her, you know, here are some contacts that I have and are interested in. And can you reach out to them? And here's a program that I would really like to offer, or here are some programs I would like to offer to them. It can happen that way, or maybe I've had some previous conductors that I've worked with before, or someone that I connected with recently, and I could say, Hey, can you reach out to them and just see what the possibilities are for, you know, a future collaboration? Or I can come from her end. She might say, you know, I met with these presenters and I showed them some of your stuff and some of your programming. And I think programming is such a big part of it. They want to have a musician who has something interesting and diversity in their program. And I've even been told, like, we'd love to have you, but we'd love if you swap out certain piece or two for, you know, XYZ or something different. I think it was interesting for Martha, my manager, to see that I was collaborating in more non-traditional forms as well. I had a duo with a double bass player, Xavier, and she was really interested in that. And so she and his manager at the time would work together as well to have us collaborate as much as possible. And yeah, or I would tell her, I have a great pianist I love working with. And here are some pieces we'd love to play together if you can find a place for us to do that. And I always send her my, you know, professional schedule for SPCO as soon as I get it. And I just say, here are some possible, you know, free weeks or dates. And then she goes off of that. So, you know, it can be complicated, but she has really made it so easy.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. And the basis that you mentioned, Xavier Foley grew up in Atlanta. So I've known him since he was in middle school.

SPEAKER_00:

That's right.

SPEAKER_01:

It's great to see. Yeah. So you don't feel any pressure then from your management to do projects that they want you to do that you might not be interested in doing, or is that ever an issue?

SPEAKER_00:

Correct. So they'll always ask me, you know, is this something that sparks interest? Or even after I've worked with a presenter or played in a new venue that I hadn't before, my managers follow up and ask me, what was your experience like? Did you enjoy it? Would you do something similar again? Did you like the programming you did? How did you feel? And, you know, I really love that there's all this follow-up afterwards. And, you know, nothing is taken personally. And I tell them, I can be so honest with them about, you know, the collaborations I did, or, you know, pieces that I didn't love performing and would not like to program again, or, you know, it's not very me, whatever it was, that way I felt very taken care of.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, I think it's great to hear that because I'm not sure that everybody has that experience with their manager. So it seems like what you're saying is to if you were to put some advice on that, to say, look for a manager that's going to support you and what you want to do and not just use you as a money making machine for them, because I'm sure that there are some relationships that are like that too. And we've had guests on this program that have talked. About situations like that that can be challenging.

SPEAKER_00:

Totally.

SPEAKER_01:

And chosen not to even have a manager for that reason, actually.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, totally. And if you end up with a manager who you don't have the right chemistry with, that's like the first step to burning out.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

And that's a really dangerous path. And if you feel like you have to say yes regardless of how you feel, that's the first step to kind of losing yourself, I would say.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. Well, many young string players dream of balancing orchestral, solo, and chamber opportunities as you do. What advice would you give them for building a sustainable and fulfilling career?

SPEAKER_00:

This question is always tough, but a couple of things. Never stop being curious. Keep asking questions. The second you think you know something, you know, everything stops. So be curious. Be open to all paths and opportunities. I would say try everything at least twice because you know, maybe you tried a collaboration and didn't work out, but perhaps it was the wrong repertoire, perhaps it was just an off day. You know, always give something a second try. It's important to give everything more than just one shot. Be engaged, obviously, when playing, but also outside of playing, I knew absolutely nothing about how an orchestra functioned until I joined the SPCO. And you know, just having an understanding of how an organization is run is so important and vital to our careers. And who knows, maybe you want to run a series or manage an orchestra or an institution someday. So I think this kind of knowledge is essential. And learn how to do taxes. Learn how to negotiate and advocate for yourself. Very important. And yeah, be kind, be empathetic. We're human. That's all.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. Well, that's really great parting words. So I want to thank you so much for joining us today on the Cello Sharpa Podcast.

SPEAKER_00:

Thank you. So fun talking to you.

SPEAKER_01:

Thank you so much to Eunice Kim for joining us today and sharing her story with us. And thank you for listening to another episode of the Cello Sharpa Podcast. For more information on Eunice and any of the links we spoke about today, check out our show notes by scrolling down on the episode. Be sure and catch our next episode where cellist Rayner Eudaikist returns. Rayner catches up with us to update us on what life has been like since joining the San Francisco Symphony as their principal cellist. We're here to serve you, so if you have questions or topic suggestions you would like us to cover in future episodes, please use the contact page on our website, the cello sherpa.com. You will also find information about the specific services we offer on the website. Don't forget to follow us and rate us on whatever platform you get your podcasts. This helps us climb the rankings so other people can find us. Today's episode was edited by Eric Biget at Red House Productions and produced and recorded by me, Joel Dallow.