I was born in a nonmusical household. At a very young age, I began to develop an interest in music due to the constant exposure of Asian music when watching Asian shows and movies. After I learned that my grandfather played an erhu (Chinese instrument), I spent the majority of my time learning how to read Chinese music from him. During elementary school, I became exposed to Western music and was shocked at how two different culture’s music could be. However, I started to develop a liking to Western music in my middle school years. There, I expanded my musical interest to classical music. The different music teachers I spent with throughout my K-12 education showed me that even though every teacher has a different style in teaching, they all want to inspire their students to love music just like they do. As I watched my teachers and fellow classmates show off their passion, I discovered that I want to influence young children to love music as it did to me.

Over the years, I taught whenever there was an opportunity. I have taught small groups of elementary and middle school students and also taught privately to small children during the summer. I also performed with various groups including the Governor’s School for the Arts (GSA), Strolling Silver Strings, and various ensembles.

I am currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Music Education and in Accounting at Old Dominion University with the hope of graduating with both degrees at the end of my four years of college. I am a member of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), the Virginia Society of CPAs (VSCPA), and the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA). I am a very hardworking student. Because I want to improve my parents’ lifestyle, I strive to study and work hard to ensure that I find a good job after graduation, so that I can take care of my parents in the future. In my spare time, I play my cello or guzheng, hang out with my grandparents, and watch Chinese dramas.