Ever since he was five years old, Harry Jo (‘25) had been mesmerized by the sound of the music. With a nudge from his older sisters, Jo was able to pursue his curiosity for music; the start of paving a bright path for his ambitions. 

“I heard my sister play a famous violin piece, and I really wanted to play it. That’s why I picked up the violin in the first place,” said Jo.

Throughout the years, Jo expanded his comfort zone and took on three instruments: the piano, violin, and saxophone. Since then, he has been developing his music career, hoping to inspire others while pursuing his passion.

The Gift of Music

As Jo began to focus on his musical abilities, he tapped into a whole new world of art, sounds, and peace. He found an inner calling that healed his soul.

“I found my passion for music when I kept on introducing myself to new genres and more music in general. I felt like I could express my feelings with the instruments that I play, and I just fell in love with them. I learned that music enlightens my mood and gets me away from stress, and I like how I can tell stories as a universal language in music,” said Jo.

Jo was able to incorporate lessons he learned from music into his everyday life. He uses each hardship thrown at him to rebound and push through to accomplish his goals.

“One of the biggest challenges that we face as musicians is rejection. This may take shape as receiving criticism or being denied acceptance to a program or a competition. The best way to deal with this is to think of it as a lesson and learn from it and try to make it go better the next time,” said Jo.

Just the Beginning

In March 2023, Jo’s hard work paid off when he got accepted into the National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute (NSO SMI). This orchestra is a competitive program that brings together musicians from all over the United States and abroad. 

“I auditioned and submitted a video recording myself back in January. I felt a lot of relief and happiness when I got in because I was really stressed before the results came out. I spent many months last year practicing,” said Jo.

Jo was able to seek guidance from his older sisters which motivated him to stay on track with his musical talent. 

“Both of my sisters have already been in the program in previous years, so I thought it would be a good experience for me if I got it,” said Jo.

Looking ahead

Recently, Jo also got accepted into a prestigious musical program called the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra, which trains gifted young musicians. 

“Being in the youth orchestra gives me lots of opportunities and experiences. We get to play with our peers and get trained by renowned artists and conductors, which is really cool,” said Jo

Jo aspires to pursue his passion in the future. With musical institutes’ help, he hopes to reach his dream. 

“I really want to compose pieces like jazz tunes and even classical pieces. Seeing my peers in the youth orchestra really inspires me,” said Jo.