About

Praised by the Peninsula Reviews as a performer with "beautiful expression and a lovely controlled technique," Maria Shim is a sought-after cellist deeply rooted in the tradition of proven cello technique. Her musical journey began at age four with cellist Anne Grabe when she embraced both the piano and cello. By age six, she decided to focus solely on cello and had lessons with Irene Sharp, following the acclaimed Margaret Rowell's curriculum, which now shapes her approach to teaching. She later had lessons with Ken Finch and Steven Pologe. 

Maria's remarkable talent shone early in her career, making her solo debut with the Oregon Symphony, where she delivered a soulful interpretation of Elgar's Cello Concerto after triumphing in the Young Artist MetroArts Concerto Competition. OregonLive praised her performance, noting a "powerfully soulful and searching reading."

In 2013, Maria embarked on her studies at the Juilliard School of Music, where she trained under the guidance of Fred Sherry for seven transformative years. Her fondest memories at Juilliard included notable performances of Shostakovich No. 5 under Vladimir Jurowski’s baton, and performing Brahms' clarinet sextet during Juilliard chamberfest. Along her musical journey, she received valuable lessons and coaching from esteemed mentors, including Ralph Kirshbaum, Frans Helmerson, Astrid Schween, Amit Peled, Lara Lev, Jeffrey Solow, Paul Neubauer, and Daniel Philips. Maria's passion for music extended to various festivals and projects, including the Heifetz International Institute of Music, Summit Music Festival, and Next Fest of Emerging Artists.

Currently based in Portland, Oregon, Maria leads a vibrant teaching studio, extending her influence to the East Coast. Her students have achieved remarkable success, securing principal chairs in youth symphonies, earning top honors in state and national competitions, and debuting with renowned orchestras, including the Oregon Symphony and Eugene Symphony.