When Hoaglund asked her Middle School string students for their impressions their comments ranged from “Wow, those big kids can really play” to “How did Mr. Kim know what to tell them to do?” while many of the older string players in attendance commented that they had learned something they could apply to their own playing from other musicians.
 
Senior Eddie Katz, who will be attending the University of Pennsylvania in the fall, found the class to be extremely rewarding, “David Kim's suggestions were very helpful; my private teacher and I already notice a marked improvement in my playing after last Tuesday. What I love most about master classes is not always just what the "master" player tells me personally, but also hearing the advice and criticisms given to the other participants. Mr. Kim's comments about all the other players, no matter what level, resonated.”

When asked what it was like to perform before an audience, Katz remarked, “Apart from keeping nervousness at bay, it wasn't hard to play in front of my peers; in fact, the more informal setting of an observed lesson as opposed to a formal performance made playing easier. Overall, the master class was an inspiring experience that I hope will come to be a continuing event at Shipley!”

Sophomore Liz Ralph also found the experience to be rewarding, “I was really nervous when I played for the first time so I didn’t quite play like myself, but Mr. Kim was quick to put me at ease and I relaxed when I played a few more times. I loved the way he taught to each person’s level and in two minutes was able to make a drastic difference in our playing. His criticisms were pointed and relevant but the analogies he used to illustrate them were hilarious, which lightened the impact of his words.”

Hoaglund also noted, “It was a wonderful experience for the community, and I was pleased to see many faculty, parents, friends, and students in the audience who had never been at our concerts.” One faculty member said that the opportunity to observe such a class was a privilege and one of the best programs she has seen at Shipley.
 
April 2004