Faculty Spotlight

love that I have the ability to have deeper relationships with my students, not just as a music teacher but as a mentor. One thing Hill does very well is help guide young people through life.Yoon Soo Lim P'17 '18 | Oaklawn-Tuttle Director of Vocal Music and the Chair or the Arts Department

Yoon Soo Lim is the Oaklawn-Tuttle Director of Vocal Music and the Chair or the Arts Department at The Hill School. She is also the coordinator for the Afternoon Arts program and the music director for the Hilltones and Hilltrebles. Ms. Lim currently teaches two performance groups: Chamber Choir, which is an auditioned choir for fourth formers and older, and Chorus, which is non-auditioned and open to all students. She also teaches Digital Music and DJ-ing and Music Theory. Ms. Lim resides on campus with her husband, Ji, and has raised two Hill graduates, Arielle ’17 and Joshua ’18.

 

What brought you to Hill? Where were you prior to joining the Hill faculty?

Before coming to Hill, I taught for 10 years at the Montgomery School. One of my friends sent me the job opening for the vocal music director and I applied. I was actually aware of Hill because many of our students come from Montgomery, and I also knew arts instructor, Diane Deery, because she was a parent of a student at Montgomery. I was also in the choir at Agnes Irwin High School, and we used to sing with the Hill boys before Hill was coed. You could say this is a very full-circle moment for me!

How long have you been at Hill and what about Hill has made you stay as long as you have?

I ended up starting at Hill in the fall of 2014, so this is my 11th year. I love that I have the ability to have deeper relationships with my students, not just as a music teacher but as a mentor. One thing Hill does very well is help guide young people through life. I immigrated from Seoul, Korea when I was nine years old, so I have quite a soft spot for our international students. I think our international students are remarkable, and I love getting to work with them every day. I don’t think I could have done what they do when I was in high school.

How have you grown as a teacher, and what have you learned from your students?

I think the biggest lesson that I learned as a teacher for over 25 years is that time is the biggest gift I can give to my students. Time, not only in my instruction, but also that I need to allow my students time to grow. I need to just let them know that it's okay if they don't get it right now. I've learned that my students don't have to get it today, because they might get it tomorrow. I feel like Hill students, once they graduate, really appreciate what they had and the experience that the teachers or dorm parents were able to create for them here. I’ve learned a lot of a gratitude and appreciation from them.

What do you find to be the most rewarding about working with your students?

Everyone works hard. I try to let them know just because we work hard, doesn't mean that the end result is going to be all-winning, or all-successful. Being a Sixers fan, and hearing “trust the process” has tested my patience, but I think that’s what gives us satisfaction and allows us to take a step back.

What is your favorite Hill tradition?

My favorite is the Candlelight Service of Lessons in Carols. As you see in The Hill archives, our choirs have been singing for Christmas services since 1889. I lead the Hilltones and Hilltrebles in this service, and I love that community members from all over come to listen and sing. Our School does such a great job of celebrating traditions and beliefs, and I think this service is such a great representation of that.

What are some of your hobbies and interests?

Whenever I have the time, I try to do something not music related. Over the summer, my husband and I started playing pickleball which I have really grown to love. We found out that some of the faculty like to play so we got to play with them this fall. I also enjoy watching cooking shows and trying out recipes on my own.