SF Flute Society Flutes by the Sea Youth Competition Winner Soomin Oh

Soomin Oh has been playing the flute for almost 6 years and studies under Monica Song. She is the winner of the Bonn Germany International Music Competition, the Golden International Music Competition, the Dallas Symphonic Festival Competition, the Virtual Soloist Competition, Claire Johnson Flute Competition, All-Region 26, the BTHVN WIEN International Competition, the Amadeus International Music Awards. She also won the Music Teacher National Association (MTNA) Texas Woodwind Junior, South Central Woodwind Junior, and was the 3rd overall in MTNA Woodwind Junior Division.

 

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What do you like best about playing the flute?

• Playing the flute has always been a way of escape for me, offering a much-needed break from reality. The flute will always be a huge part of my life--one that will remain steadfast indefinitely. My experience with the flute has given me countless opportunities, connections, and friendships that I will forever cherish.

What are your goals as a flutist?

• As of now, my primary goal is to evoke emotional responses within my audience through my performances. Additionally, I’m also working on improving my tone quality in the higher registers, refining articulation, and ultimately collaborating with an orchestra in the forthcoming years.

What inspires you the most in life?

• Observing and listening to other musicians never fails to inspire me. I’m always amazed at how individuals of my own age group or older can infuse the same music I am performing with such maturity. Additionally, sparks of new opportunities inspire me to become a better musician.

Can you give us 3 career highlights?

• Being named the First Prize Winner of the San Francisco Flute Society Flutes by Sea, and being a finalist (3rd overall) in the Music Teacher National Association (MTNA) Junior Woodwind Division are my biggest accomplishments from this year. Additionally, receiving 1st prize in the Golden International Music Competition is also one of my other accomplishments.

What do you like best about playing the flute?

• Playing the flute has always been a way of escape for me, offering a much-needed break from reality. The flute will always be a huge part of my life--one that will remain steadfast indefinitely. My experience with the flute has given me countless opportunities, connections, and friendships that I will forever cherish.

What are your goals as a flutist?

• As of now, my primary goal is to evoke emotional responses within my audience through my performances. Additionally, I’m also working on improving my tone quality in the higher registers, refining articulation, and ultimately collaborating with an orchestra in the forthcoming years.

What inspires you the most in life?

• Observing and listening to other musicians never fails to inspire me. I’m always amazed at how individuals of my own age group or older can infuse the same music I am performing with such maturity. Additionally, sparks of new opportunities inspire me to become a better musician.

What has been your greatest challenge?

• One of the most significant challenges I faced as a flutist is effectively managing my time. Balancing my extracurricular activities and hobbies alongside the flute was a huge struggle, as practicing the flute does require a lot of time and attention.

• Furthermore, I have been facing a particular challenge for the past two years. I moved to Austin, but my flute teacher, as well as the orchestra program I was a part of (Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra), is based in Dallas. Therefore I had to drive to Dallas every weekend for lessons and rehearsals. Late-night work sessions to finish my academics were a huge negative effect of this conflict but I will always cherish all the memories I made from GDYO and from my lessons.

Who were your music mentors? And what did you learn from them?

• Through Mrs. Song, I have come to realize that music encompasses more than just playing the correct notes and projecting a splendid tonal quality; it’s about telling a story through your playing. Mrs. Song has also taught me that it’s not always about winning, but rather about the extent of personal growth and improvement achieved along the journey.

Can you give us 5 quirky, secret, fun hobbies or passions?

• I absolutely love writing poems, listening to music alongside my trusty companion & pet, Boba, and concocting various fruit juice blends (trust me, they taste good!), hanging out with my friends, and watching Yuchan Lim perform Rachmaninoff’s Third Concerto with my pianist friend.

What 3 things would you offer as advice for another flutist?

• It’s about quality and not quantity. It is essential to maintain focus and present mentally during your practice sessions. Mere repetition of a piece at a tempo that you’re not ready for will only slow down your progress. Instead, practice at a slower tempo and divide your piece into sections which could help you to focus and make your practice sessions more effective.

• Keep track of your practice sessions and plan them out. There is no “good enough” when it comes to practicing. Recognize that there are unexplored avenues for improvement, constantly improving the quality of your performance.

• It’s not about winning, it's about the improvements!