Ryan Sung ’27’s outstanding accomplishment in the recent Pennsylvania Music Educators Association state-level festival can be attributed to his dedication to music as well as the long-standing legacies that The Hill School has had over the years. In addition to Sung’s persistent and considerate characteristics, Hill’s supportive and enthusiastic environment also played a decisive role in helping Sung succeed in the competition.
“What really defines our students here at Hill is their personal characteristics and features that get passed on as a form of legacy, student after student,” said Margaret Neiswender, Director of Instrumental Music, during her interview about Sung’s achievement.
Sung demonstrated extraordinary musical abilities among his competitors at the regional level and was selected to play the bass clarinet in an all-state orchestra concert that is expected to receive hundreds of audience members. The audition process involved students from across the state of Pennsylvania. According to himself, Sung was able to catch the judge’s attention by delivering a fluent and intact piece. Specifically, his ability to prioritize tasks and manage his time can be considered the biggest factor for this accomplishment.
“As a student attending a very competitive boarding school, I get limited time to work on things outside of academics,” Sung said. “During the winter season, I also swim for our school team, which adds an athletic commitment to the already overwhelming agenda. But I still made time to practice music. I remember that I would listen to the audition piece when I eat dinner and even when I shower. Whenever I had the chance, I would go to the CFTA to practice clarinet, too.”
Besides optimizing the time and resources available to him, Sung made sure that he was disciplined and thoughtful, which also contributed to his performance.
According to Neiswender, Sung has intense focus on whatever he does. “His attention was what really allowed him to maximize his quality of practice. This characteristic, I don’t see in every musician. In general, I feel like he was thoughtful in an independent way. He was smart in the way he used his limited time and produced the most out of what he had.”
After complimenting Sung’s values as an excellent instrumentalist, Neiswender highlighted a special trait that is present in the musical community at Hill. Classes of students graduate and join every year, but music students inevitably undergo a process where they receive influence from their senior students, and the legacy continues.
“Sung possesses qualities like unselfishness and care for others, which are big aspects of our musical environment here. It’s like a mentorship that is visible in every generation of students, where their attitudes, spirits, and knowledge are inherited by the students who go after them,” Neiswender said. “First there was Casey Li, then Gabe Bak, now Sung, and he’s passing his qualities down to newer students like Alex Li. It is thanks to both the well-rounded students we accept, and the environment Hill provides that fosters successful students like Ryan.”
Ryan, too, admits to the positive influence he received from the elder students. As a musician, he stated the importance of being humble and learning from the people around him.
“Not only do we share our interests in music and guide each other to become better at playing our instruments, but, more importantly, we communicate the skills and habits that have helped us succeed in the path of music,” Sung said. “It is specifically these aspects that have shaped me into who I am today and what led me to success in PMEA.”