Photo by Elsa Regan

From a young age, junior Joo-Young Lee immersed herself in world of music.

With her mom and older sister as inspiration, Lee started her musical career at the age of 5 years old, playing the violin.

Her love and dedication for orchestra opened opportunities to her that not very many high school students could even fathom being a part of.

During the summer, Lee was nominated to play at Carnegie Hall with an honors orchestra of high school musicians across the nation. She performed there last week.

“It’s a venue that so many musicians can only dream of playing in,” Lee said. “I’m so honored and blessed to have had the opportunity to play there. It was unforgettable to say the least.”

Orchestra director Rachel Dirks said playing in an orchestra provides a chance for students to learn from each other and gain life skills.

“Being involved in music ensembles, like orchestra, provides an incredible opportunity for people to learn a variety of skills,” Dirks said. “Collaborating with fellow musicians to reach common successes, the significance of each individual and how all parts are equal and important. Most importantly, the opportunity to express personal creativity through a community of musicians.”

Peers have begun to recognize Lee’s success.

“When a person aspires to succeed at something and then has the drive to push herself to a level of performance where her goals become a reality, we should all celebrate this success,” Dirks said. “I am very proud of Joo-Young and all of her achievements, particularly because they were made possible by years and years of hard work and determination.”

Having the opportunity to play at Carnegie Hall was something Lee had a hard time believing even as she was on stage about to play.

“There was so much adrenaline and emotion for all the orchestra members on stage,” Lee said. “When we began our first piece, I almost forgot about playing for a moment because I was marveling at the amazing acoustics. It didn’t really hit me how special performing at Carnegie Hall was until I talked about the performance with my roommates before I went to sleep. Then we were like, ‘Oh my God, we just played in Carnegie Hall.’”

Lee’s accomplishments have inspired peers like junior Isabella Whittaker to not only succeed in orchestra, but also academically.

“She played at Carnegie Hall,” Whittaker said. “That’s a big accomplishment to me because I want to do that someday. She’s also in five AP classes. School-wise, I wish I could do that. I can’t, so I’m taking one. Overall, I think her accomplishments are very huge. She’s met her goals obviously.”

This experience has inspired Young to continue her career in music in the future.

“I hope to continue with music and academics in the future and hopefully double major in college,” Lee said. “I know I’ll never be letting the violin go since it has become an inseparable part of my life. I still have so much to learn. As always, the problem is balancing music with academics and other commitments, but hopefully I’ll be able to make it work.”