To many people, 7-year old Madeline Grace Sim (Maddie) appears as a child with boundless energy and optimism, and watching her play the cello certainly reinforces that! Maddie is a developing cello enthusiast whose innate musical talent shines through her instrument. Her artistic personality on stage is bold and fearless, there’s not a moment of hesitation when she’s on the cello.
In her short journey, Maddie has already received a high Distinction in the Trinity College London Grade 8 cello exam, 1st place at the 2025 Music SG Cello Solo Competition and also took first place with an outstanding score at the Grand Opus International Performing Competition 2025 in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. With her good friends Alpheus Tan (violin) and Sungjoo Kim (piano), the trio also took first place, Gold with Honours at the recent 2025 SRIMF Chamber competition.
With a list of outstanding achievements at such a young age, there is no doubt that Maddie is one of the youngest cellists to keep an eye out for in the near future. We interview Madeline and her mother, Stephanie, on their journey together thus far.
(Madeline Grace Sim, image credits: Stephanie Lim)
Wei Ken: Maddie, at what age did you pick up the cello?
Maddie: I was 4 ½ years old when I picked up my cello, so I have been learning it for almost 3 years already!
Wei Ken: Who are your biggest musical inspirations?
Maddie: Oh I have many cellists I admire! Firstly, I watched both concerts of Yo-Yo Ma when he was here in Singapore. It was a dream to see one of the most famous cellists perform live! There is Prof. Qin Li-Wei whom I just watched perform solo with re:Sound collective 2 months ago!
I love Steven Isserlis’s interpretations of Haydn’s music. When I listen to Bach, there is this cellist named Jean-Guihen Queyras who just gets the sound so right for Bach. Jacqueline du Pre plays Elgar the best! When I watched the Queen Elisabeth competition a few years back, I especially liked this cellist named Chen Yi Bai! One of my future aspirations is to play in a cello-only quartet for young cellists as I love playing in ensemble settings. I especially love the Galvin cello quartet!
Wei Ken: So Maddie, why did you choose the cello and not any other instrument?
Maddie: I was at my friend's house and saw a cello. I didn't know that I could learn 2 different instruments and I was already learning piano. So I was curious to learn the cello without even hearing it or trying it first. Mummy bought me a cheap cello off carousel to let me play around with it first. But I love the sound and the range of the cello so much, it eventually blossomed my hidden talent for the instrument! That's when the hunt for a good cello teacher started and now I am with Teacher Ellie!
Wei Ken: Maddie, do you get ever get stage fright when you perform?
Maddie: Actually, I am more excited to perform than scared on stage. I feel very comfortable on stage with my cello!
Wei Ken: So what's the best thing about playing the cello?
Maddie: I just love playing and practicing the cello, it's so fun! The cello has so much great music written for it. One of my biggest moments was performing the first movement of Haydn’s Cello Concerto with Kids Philharmonic. Also, many people do not know this but I like to annoy my sister using the cello.
(Madeline performing solo with Kids Philharmonic)
Wei Ken: Here is a good question for you Maddie: how many hours do you practice a day?
Maddie: Normally I try to do 2 hours of practice. But if I am too busy on certain days, 45 mins is all I can manage. On weekends, I can go for up to 3-4 hours on average, which makes for a total of 16-20 hours in a week. I actually do not time myself on practice, so I just finish when I feel like it is time to stop. Kids Philharmonic Orchestra also helped me to learn faster because playing in an ensemble made me adapt and learn quickly despite being so young.
(Madeline as Tutti Cello in Kids Philharmonic)
Wei Ken: What instruments do you use currently?
Maddie: A 1/2 sized cello and bow from Salient Strings.
Wei Ken: So Maddie, do you aspire to be soloist in the future like Jacqueline du Pre?
Maddie: I may not want to be a soloist next time. I like science very much so I may choose to become a scientist!
Maddie is currently a cello student with Ellie Won at Ellie’s Cello Studio.
Interview with Stephanie
Wei Ken: Stephanie, what first inspired you to introduce Maddie to the cello?
Stephanie: Coming from a family of non-musicians, we never intended for any of our kids to take up music seriously, or even at all. My husband and I both knew nothing about music. Maddie saw the cello at a friend’s place one day and asked to learn it, even before she heard how it sounded! 😆 I’m all for young kids exploring different things and the stars really aligned because we found a teacher (who turned out to be awesome too) walking distance from our place, so off she went! Plus a fractional student sized cello off carousel was only $200, seemed like a low investment!
Wei Ken: Then, how did you know Maddie had the potential to pursue music at such a high level?
Stephanie: We really have Teacher Ellie to thank for this! She nurtured Maddie’s interest and was the one who observed her potential. I never sat in Maddie’s lessons, and we didn’t have any sort of practice routine going on yet, so I was pretty surprised myself to hear that she was ready for exams and competitions quite quickly! Also, when she joined the Kid’s Philharmonic Orchestra at only 5, Mr. Lee was so supportive and gave her opportunities to play at a higher level.
Wei Ken: What does a typical day look like in terms of practice, school, and family balance?
Stephanie: Afternoons are a mix of playtime with her sister, Chinese enrichment, music lessons and practice! She practices daily, but there isn’t a fixed amount of time she practices, it depends on her schedule! On days without lessons, about 2-3 hours and on busier days just 30 minutes.
On weekends, I would say she gets about 2-3hours each day on top of other commitments such as rehearsals with Kids Phil or her trio. The rest of the time we spend going out for meals, shopping, church, grandparents place etc. We try to make sure doesn't miss a playdate or birthday party unless she has a performance she can’t skip - that one’s unavoidable.
Maddie observes an 8pm bedtime, so her schedule is actually quite tight!
Wei Ken: What role do you play during Maddie’s practice sessions/lessons—are you more of a coach, motivator, or silent supporter?
Stephanie: Even though I’m not musically trained, I think the quality of her practice will be lowered without my presence. 🤣 She still needs an adult figure around to help with all of the above!
Wei Ken: How do you manage the financial and logistical challenges of music education, including instruments, lessons, and travel for competitions?
Stephanie: So far, we are financially comfortable and able to support her interests, but we’ll have to consider our priorities as costs go up or family needs change!
Wei Ken: What sacrifices have you and your family made to support your child’s musical journey?
Stephanie: Too many! I definitely have less time for my older one (thankfully my husband is able to step up to help fill the gap). The house is never quiet now! Bedtime which is very important in our household is sometimes compromised. We visit grandparents as a family unit less frequently because Maddie has rehearsals/performances etc. Overall less time to just chill as a family. Instead of scheduling activities, I find that I now need to make sure I schedule time for my kids to just hang out. The most painful thing is actually bringing her cello along when we travel! 😩😩
I want to highlight that while there are many sacrifices, we have also gained plenty - for example bonding over our appreciation for classical music now, going to concerts together and also forming new friendships with many like minded families!
Wei Ken: How do you nurture Maddie’s emotional well-being, especially under the pressure of competitions or performances?
Stephanie: Maddie enjoys performing/competing, and she has very high expectations of herself, so I see our responsibility as parents to help her develop a growth mindset and the humility to understand that there will always be room for improvement and someone better
At home we don’t emphasize her achievements. Of course we praise her for her efforts each time, but we don’t put up any trophies or certs at home, I don’t want the kids to feel like their self-worth and place at home is tied to any of this.
Wei Ken: What are the biggest misconceptions people have about parents of top young musicians?
Stephanie: No misconceptions, we are crazy in different ways but definitely all crazy busy. 🤣
Wei Ken: How do you envision your Maddie’s future in music—do you see it as a lifelong career or part of a broader developmental journey?
Stephanie: Maddie is a very curious child, blessed with many interests and I believe that she will succeed in whatever she chooses to pursue, so the choice is hers eventually!
Wei Ken: What advice would you give to other parents considering a similar path for their musically gifted children?
Stephanie: They are still children! Your presence, encouragement and unconditional love mean the world to them! ❤️
