Cellist Hannah Kim ’20 competed against other musicians in the Wesley Concerto Competition and won a spot in their orchestra.

The Wesley Concerto is an LA Korean Youth orchestra that holds annual concerts. 

Kim has been playing the cello since she was in third grade.

“The reason I chose the cello instead of the violin is because I get to sit down,” Kim said, laughing.

Once Kim got more mature, she enjoyed the sound the cello made. The cello has a deeper sound than most instruments.

Kim started Archer in seventh grade and has been involved in the community since. When she is not attending Archer clubs — Girls Empowering Girls, Diversity and Model United Nations clubs— swimming on the swim team or being a stage manager for the middle school play, she is playing the cello at Archer. 

“Hannah is a skilled cellist, and we are thrilled to have her as a part of our music program. She plays the cello with a beautifully resonant sound, great precision and musicality,” Susan Smith, the Archer Orchestra Director wrote in an email. “Hannah’s playing is the result of daily hours of practice and focus. Along with all of her hard work, Hannah brings wonderful energy and a wonderful sense of humor to rehearsals. I look forward to watching her continue to grow as a musician.”

She is also involved in an orchestra outside of Archer. 

“[I am] involved with a community service orchestra,” Kim said. “We perform in homeless shelters or old folks homes — I’ve been doing that for two years.”

After years of playing the cello, Kim filled out an application and performed in front of the Wesley orchestra and their conductor to compete for a spot in their orchestra.

“It’s a concerto competition, so because I won it,  I get to perform with the Wesley Youth Orchestra,” Kim said. “I am going to be performing at Coburn [School] at the Zipper hall. It was a competition between instruments, so I won the cello section, and other people won too.”

Kim will perform with the group in April of 2016.