Position: Principal Viola, The R.W. & Mary Nelson Chair
Education: DMA (ABD Candidate) — University of Missouri at Kansas City; MMus — Mannes College for Music, The New School (NYC); BMus — The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts
Tell us about your very first encounter with music.
I am not sure when I first experienced music, but I can’t recall my life without music. Maybe my very first encounter with music was my mom watching Michael Jackson’s music video while I danced along when I was two-years-old!
When did you begin playing the viola?
I studied cello first when I was 10-years-old. Then, due to travelling reasons, my mom had me switch to violin when I was 13-years-old. I actually only started playing the viola about a year and a half ago in 2017.
At the time, I was invited to play in a string quartet as a violist and I gradually fell in love with the instrument. Under my mentor’s encouragement, I am now officially a violist! I was and still very much am attracted to the sound of any bowed string instruments – it feels very intimate and sensational to me.
When did you decide that you wanted to become a professional musician?
Although I was a performance major in my undergraduate studies, I wasn’t always sure if I wanted to pursue a career as a professional musician. When I attended the Kent Blossom Music Festival as a Junior, however, chamber music became my passion. The artists and repertoire I encountered at the festival deeply inspired me to become a professional musician.
What Des Moines Symphony performances stand out in your memory?
I joined the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra in 2017 as a regular substitute violinist along with my friend, Yi-Miao Huang, who is a first violinist in the Symphony.
Since then, some of the experiences that are extremely special and close to my heart are playing under the baton of guest conductor Christopher Seaman, playing with Leslie Odom Jr., and performing Sancho Panza from Don Quixote.
How do you typically prepare for a concert?
I usually mark bowings for the viola section ahead of rehearsals. I will also pick a few recordings to listen to and then put useful cues in my sheet music to make sure I know what other instrument sections are doing in the piece. I will make musical interpretation decisions accordingly after listening.
I would say that really hearing the music in your head before practicing and executing it in rehearsal always makes the process more effective. I also usually take naps on the day of a performance if possible, and prefer to not eat or talk too much before a concert.
What do you find to be the most challenging part of being a musician? What is the most fulfilling part?
For me, the most challenging part is to find the balance between hard work and health while also maintaining the discipline of practicing in my daily life. To be able to see the smiles on audiences’ faces after concerts is always the most fulfilling part.
Who have been some of the most influential people in your life?
I truly treasure every performance and musical experience I’ve encountered in my life. Everyone I work with is very influential in the moment for me. The most influential event, however, would be my decision to move from Hong Kong to New York seven years ago.
What piece of music could you play over and over again?
Actually, almost every piece of music I’m working on I could play over and over again! There are countless pieces of music that never fail to move me. If I had to name one though, I would say Benjamin Britten’s String Quartet No. 1 and 2 will always make my heart skip a beat. You should check those pieces out
Outside of the viola, what are some of your other interests and hobbies?
I love visual arts, photography, sushi, traveling with my boyfriend, spending quality time with friends, movies, coffee, reading, and going to the gym. I also love listening to a huge range of different music. (I am a huge Michael Jackson, Radiohead and Queen fan!)
