Anjali Bose ‘20
Photo courtesy of Kemi Odeyemi ’20
Karissa Lim ‘20 is March’s Artist of the Month for her mastery of the cello in the Episcopal Academy Upper School Orchestra. Serving as the principal cellist, Lim began playing cello at the age of five.
“At first I played the violin,” Lim recounted, “because my mom teaches the violin, and my older sister played it. After hearing Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1, though–because my mom used to play me classical music CDs when I was little–I was inspired to switch to the cello.” Ever since then, she’s been playing the cello nearly daily.
“I first met Karissa when she first came to EA, and she’s been playing cello with me since then,” explained James Finegan, Middle and Upper School Orchestra Teacher, “Karissa’s a very dedicated cellist and a student. She’s a very thoughtful musician, and she’s just one of the students who music just really flows from her.”
Lim has achieved massive success in her cello endeavors thus far, being one of four recipients to receive the Dora Khayatt Music Award in her freshman year and taking part in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association Orchestra on the regional level twice.
“I kind of auditioned for the Dora Khayatt [competition] unexpectedly, in all [honesty].” Lim explained, “The summer before, I’d just gotten a new cello teacher, who gave me the first movement of the Cassado Cello Suite. It was really different from anything I’d ever played before. [Usually] the music I play has order in the scales and progressions to it, but this piece was all over the place. This was the first time I didn’t just approach playing something completely logically. Instead of focusing on the composer notes perfectly, I sort of just let the music take me over for the first time. I focused more on the feeling rather than mere precision.”
As the Dora Khayatt auditions approached, Lim decided to audition with this piece, and her skill and passion for it paid off as she found herself as one of the winners. “I really wasn’t expecting it, like I know everyone says that but I was not expecting it at all.” Lim proclaimed.
“She’s a very natural musician and she works really hard at it,” Finegan explained. “She does a lot of outside groups, some string quartet groups and youth orchestras, and she’s just a really strong willed and dedicated musician on our own orchestra.”
Other members of the Upper School orchestra echo Finegan’s praises for Lim. As Naomi Hyman ‘22, a violinist on the orchestra, stated, “She works really hard and is always on time and brings a sort of excitement at every rehearsal. She also knows her music really well, and from what I can see across the room, she’s just really a good leader for the cello section.” Kevin Sporici ‘20, a pianist, explained, “I think Karissa’s clearly very dedicated to her craft, her musicality. She’s really good at what she does and I think the effort that she puts into her music really shows through when she plays.” Sejin Park ‘20, a violist and fellow PMEA participant, said, “She’s got great tone, and vibrates really well, and has really nice intonation. Cello’s just like a hard, really challenging section of the orchestra, so all her achievements just really speak to her skill.”
As principal cellist on orchestra this year, Lim is the student leader of the cello section. “Basically for each group of instruments, we really need to know and practice our music before orchestra. As principal cellist I just sort of lead the practices of just the cellos so that when we all come together we can just practice all playing together as one.” Lim said.
“Karissa can be very shy and quiet in speaking with other people, but her personality can really come out in playing in front of other people. She really brings this sort of passion and energy to it,” Finegan explained. “Last year she was second chair, with Josh Wang [‘18], and actually, because there were so many talented cellists, I had her and Josh play a Vivaldi double concerto, so she was a sophomore and was playing with a senior, which kind of shows her level of commitment to the cello. This year, she’s principal cellist. She’s the leader of the section. Karissa’s not so much a vocal leader but more of a leader by example. She’s just always impeccably prepared, she [is]on time, she knows her music, she’s incredibly reliable.”
Lim considers the cello to be an important aspect of her identity. “I know this sounds really cheesy, but the cello sort of feels like an extension of me, like an extension of my personality,” Lim explained. “I’ve been playing so long, it’s really an integral part of my life. It would just feel wrong not to play. I’m not really sure what I want to do in college, but music is definitely something I’ve considered. The cello really is a part of me.”
“You can tell the kids who truly love their instruments.” Finegan stated, “She’s one of those students. A part of her would be missing if she didn’t play the cello. And I think for her it’s the work ethic and her pursuing opportunities that really set her apart as a great musician,” Finegan describes. He adds, “She’s always challenging herself and working to get better and better everyday. And she’s one of the few kids who I think could definitely go into music as a real career. I don’t know if it’s something she wants to do, a career in music can certainly be a very challenging experience, but she certainly has the talent and drive to do it.”