Students at Glen Cove High School had an opportunity to learn from one of the country’s leading classical musicians when David Kim, concertmaster of The Philadelphia Orchestra, visited the school’s orchestra program to share his expertise and perform alongside young musicians.
Kim, who has held the prestigious position since 1999, worked with students on their technique and musical expression while offering advice about the importance of preparation, collaboration and listening. His visit gave aspiring musicians an opportunity to experience the standards and expectations of a professional orchestra firsthand.
The visit came together through an unexpected connection on social media.
Tay Kwak, Glen Cove High School’s orchestra director, said he first encountered Kim at a concert in Queens, where she was struck not only by his musicianship but also by his approachable personality.
“I saw such a humility in him, so I really wanted to reach out,” Kwak said.
Despite Kim’s international reputation and demanding performance schedule, Kwak decided to contact him through Instagram, hoping he might be willing to visit her students.
“Maybe he will reply,” he recalled thinking.
To his surprise, Kim responded. Kwak said he appeared to have looked into Glen Cove’s orchestra program and was willing to make time for the students. His visit coincided with a performance engagement at Carnegie Hall, allowing him to stop at the school despite his busy schedule.
For Kwak, the opportunity was about more than bringing a prominent musician into the classroom. She wanted students to experience an encounter they would remember long after graduation.
“I really hope that students will just remember this moment as they live on, and then hopefully take what he gave us and apply it to their everyday life,” he said.
Kwak said Kim emphasized preparation, flexibility and the importance of being a good listener, lessons she believes extend beyond the rehearsal room.
The high school’s orchestra program includes approximately 24 students in the upper grades and another 60 in ninth and 10th grades.
Among those participating was freshman Edgar Rivas, who has played violin since fourth grade. Rivas said he was eager to meet Kim after reading about his accomplishments on the school’s website.
“I’m very excited to work with a very good professional,” Rivas said.
The experience offered him practical advice on improving his performance, particularly how to make the music more expressive.
“I learned to move my wrist more and add more emotion, personality, into the instruments that I’m just playing,” he said.
For Kim, visiting schools and mentoring young musicians has remained an important part of his career, even as his work takes him to concert halls around the world.
Born in Carbondale, Illinois, in 1963, Kim began studying violin at age 3 and later trained under renowned instructor Dorothy DeLay. He attended the Juilliard School, where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees, before becoming concertmaster of The Philadelphia Orchestra.
Kim said his connections to Long Island stretch back to his childhood, when he traveled from Juilliard’s Lincoln Center campus to perform throughout the region.
“All the way through my career, 30 years in the Philadelphia Orchestra, I visit schools and work with young people,” he said.
Although most of the students he meets will not pursue professional careers in classical music, Kim believes the discipline offers valuable lessons regardless of their future ambitions.
“I think classical music teaches lots of great life lessons about collaboration, about being a good listener, about flexibility, about kindness as you work with your colleagues, and warmth of working with other people,” Kim said.
He added that problem-solving and discipline are equally important, whether students eventually pursue careers in science, athletics, education or other fields.
“It gives me great joy to maybe help to enlighten them, show them a little bit of what that means from a professional perspective,” he said. “And then hopefully it spills over into their lives.”
Kim also hopes to challenge young people’s perceptions of classical music, which he acknowledged can sometimes seem unfamiliar or uninteresting to younger audiences.
He pointed to the influence of classical music on contemporary genres, including hip-hop and K-pop, as well as the soundtracks of popular films.
“All of these musicians learn the same concepts, the same skills, from early on in classical music,” Kim said. “And then they can apply those principles and concepts in whatever — hip-hop, or K-pop, or — it doesn’t matter.”
He explained that musical fundamentals such as rhythm and harmony provide a foundation for creativity across genres.
For Kwak, that broader perspective was central to the visit. She recognizes that many students will stop playing their instruments after high school, but hopes their experiences in the orchestra will remain meaningful.
He said he wants students to remember Kim’s professionalism and generosity, and to feel a personal connection whenever they encounter The Philadelphia Orchestra in the future.
“I just wanted to give them something to remember during the high school years,” Kwak said.
