Today reported that Eun Sung Kim, a 2005 music‑education graduate of Troy University, received the Houston Symphony’s Spec Charitable Foundation Award for Excellence in Music Education during the orchestra’s Salute to Educators concert on March 29.
Kim has taught strings and served as Magnet Coordinator at Carter Academy, part of the Aldine Independent School District in Houston, for about twenty years, and she said the award validates the importance of daily work in a richly diverse community.
Her teaching philosophy was shaped by participation in Troy ensembles such as the Sound of the South Marching Band and by mentorship from Dr. Diane Orlofsky, who noted Kim’s pedagogical creativity and dedication.
Houston Symphony senior director Allison Conlan described the annual educator honor as a way to inspire students to continue music studies, noting that nearly 60,000 students attended symphony concerts in 2026.
Kim, who immigrated from Korea and originally aspired to be a pediatrician, found music education a means to nurture children, likening her role to using a violin bow instead of a stethoscope.
Despite two serious accidents, she remained in Aldine ISD, helping Carter Academy achieve Magnet certification and a 2026 School of Excellence award.
Kim encourages current music‑education students, saying a Troy degree opens a wide range of career possibilities and that the university’s training prepared her for a lifelong calling.
For more information, visit today.troy.edu.