As junior Thomas Lim stared blankly at the AP Chemistry book in front of him, he made a decision. Instead of continuing to review for the upcoming test, he pulled out his cello, tightened his bow and began to play, composing on the spot.

One of Lim’s favorite parts of being a cellist and composer is the time he spends in his room practicing pieces or composing. Playing cello also helps him de-stress, especially the night before an important test.

“The great thing about music is that if I ever want to play cello instead of doing homework, I can do so without feeling like I’m wasting my time, because technically I’m practicing and becoming a better musician,” Lim said.

Lim moved from South Korea to the U.S. at age 10. While there, he learned to play the instrument with extremely strict teachers, something he can laugh at looking back.

“One of my teachers used to beat my hands with her bows, and when she broke the bows, she would buy drumsticks so they wouldn’t break,” he recalled.

Lim thinks that if he hadn’t moved here, he probably would have stopped playing because of the harsh treatment. Luckily, his persistence and love for music kept him going.

Lim has been training at the California Music Preparatory Academy in Saratoga with his current teacher, Jonathan Koh, for six years. Koh calls Lim a “big ball of sunshine, and a very talented cello player too.” Lim appreciates having a more encouraging teacher because he is now motivated to practice playing cello, and enjoys it as well.

Music has given Lim something to look forward to every day, from attending orchestra at school to the time he spends practicing at home.

“If my life was a sine curve, music would be the peak,” Lim said.