Honors student shares love of music

A-Joo Kim cannot remember a time when playing the piano has not been important to her. Starting at the age of 4, the Geochang, Korea, native says she has always found it challenging, yet beautiful and relaxing.

Kim will now spread the joy in her senior recital at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 6, in Babcock 127, along with her teacher, music professor Rebecca McCord.

“It is a delight to teach such a talented and dedicated piano student as A-Joo,” McCord said.

The recital includes Schubert’s Impromptu, Op. 90, No. 2; Beethoven’s Sonata in f minor, Op. 2, No. 1; as well as “Kiss the Rain” and “River Flows in You” by Korean composer and pianist Yiruma. McCord will join her student in a two-piano performance of Kabalevsky’s “Youth Concerto.”

Kim is an international affairs major completing an honors thesis on the reunification of North and South Korea. Examining possible scenarios and using the past reunification cases of Germany, Vietnam and Yemen, she attempts to find an ideal pathway toward Korea’s successful reunification.

Balancing her love of music and global affairs, Kim is also a Spanish minor and studied abroad through Sweet Briar’s Junior Year in Spain program last year. Despite two campus jobs — as resident advisor and library assistant — Kim still finds the time to participate in Tau Phi and Falls on Nose. After graduation, she plans to attend law school to study comparative international law or human rights law.

Kim’s piano recital is free and open to the public. For more information, please call (434) 381-6115 or email mccord@sbc.edu.