Music

various musical endeavors

a solo recital (June 2018)

my college a cappella group at ICCA (February 2020)

a solo recital (June 2018)

my college a cappella group's holiday concert (December 2019)

chamber ensemble performance (March 2020)

Music has always been an integral part of my life, and for as long as I can remember, I have loved everything to do with music. I've explored many different musical endeavors in my life, and I hope you enjoy reading/watching them here!

I first started learning piano at around age 6, and I started learning cello at age 7. In total, I have been playing both for 14+ years, but I prioritized cello and considered it my main instrument. From elementary through high school, I participated in the Certificate of Merit system for cello, in which I would be assessed each year on my performance and music theory skills, in order to graduate to different levels. In high school, I also joined my school's orchestra, and we would attend festivals and perform often. I had the opportunity to travel to New York City to perform at Carnegie Hall with my high school orchestra in 2015, and it was an experience I'll never forget. In addition to my high school orchestra, I also joined the Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra for the last 2 years of high school, and we played many concerts at the beautiful Segerstrom Hall. I continued to pursue cello in college, where I was lucky to study with two incredible cello teachers—Tyler J. Borden and Charles Curtis. I often performed in chamber ensembles at the Music Department, and I even participated in the pit orchestra for 2 musicals with an on-campus organization called Muir Musical. I held a solo recital in June 2018, and though I sadly wasn't able to have a senior recital in 2020 (due to the pandemic), I graduated from this past June with a B.A. in Cello Performance.

However, cello and piano aren't the only stories in my musical journey. I played clarinet and flute for a bit in middle school band, and I've also picked up ukulele, thanks to quarantine. But besides instrumental music, I also love to sing. In college, I was part of an all female-identifying a cappella group called Daughters of Triton (DOTs) for 3 years, and it's one of the highlights of my time at UC San Diego. In the group, I sang Soprano 2/Alto 1, and I also learned how to beatbox! I attended rehearsals multiple times each week, and we held performances a couple times each year. We also competed in the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA) three times, where we would perform choreography while singing—and yup, the competition held in the Pitch Perfect movies actually exists in real life! Being a part of DOTs was an incredible way for me to channel my passion for music in a much different avenue than I had been before. I also met the most amazing and talented women who have become some of my closest friends, and I am forever grateful to have been a part of Daughters of Triton.

I will always be so passionate about music and the arts, and I am actively staying involved in my musical pursuits. Feel free to check out some of my past performances below!

"Dream With Me" by Leonard Bernstein; performed in December 2019 with of my closest friends and favorite collaborators, Lizze Fisher

Chopin Introduction and Polonaise brillante in C Major, Op. 3; performed in June 2018 during my solo recital

Bach Cello Suite No. 2 in D Minor; performed in June 2018 during my solo recital

Beethoven Cello Sonata No. 1 in F Major, Op. 5; performed in June 2018 during my solo recital

DOTs performing at ICCA in February 2020; I beatbox the 2nd and 3rd songs and am wearing a white short-sleeved shirt with a light blue overall dress

DOTs' virtual music video from Spring Quarter of 2020, created during the pandemic; I beatbox this super fun song!

one of my favorite arrangements that I have ever sung in DOTs, arranged by one of our alumni and another one of my closest friends; I am on the far right and I beatbox in the latter half of the song

Below are some more photos from my musical endeavors! :-)