Biography

One thing that makes my journey different from that of many conservatoire students is that, before becoming a musician, I studied law and earned a bachelor’s degree in it.

I started learning the violin when I was six. No one in my family had a musical background. My parents simply wanted me to have a hobby, so they found me a violin teacher. Music entered my life quietly, without any big plans or ambitions. When I was twelve, I had to stop having lessons. We could no longer afford to continue, but I did not stop playing. I practised on my own, driven simply by curiosity and love for music. I also played the viola in my hometown’s youth symphony orchestra. In China, professional music education can be expensive, and I never imagined that becoming a musician could be a realistic future for me. Music was something I loved deeply, but always from a distance.

I was admitted to study law at a highly regarded university. Yet the further I went with my legal studies, the stronger my connection with the arts became. I took several theatre internships and even considered becoming a director or producer. In my final year, I interned at Wu Promotion, one of China’s largest classical music concert management companies. I thought that if I could not be on stage myself, perhaps I could help those who were. But being so close to musicians and performances made me realise that being near music was not enough. I did not simply want to organise concerts or watch others perform — I wanted to make the music myself.

Instead of spending my life wondering what might have happened, I decided to give myself one chance. After five months of intensive preparation, I applied to the Royal College of Music and was accepted as a master’s student. For me, choosing music was not about starting a new life, but returning to something that had been part of me all along.

People often ask whether I would ever return to law. My answer is always no. I would rather take the risk of following music than spend my life wondering what might have been.

I know how fortunate I am to have had the opportunity to pursue music professionally. But I also believe there are many people like me — people who love music deeply but may never have had the opportunity or confidence to imagine it as a career. I hope my story can give someone who feels it is already too late a little courage. There is no single right way to become a musician. Sometimes we arrive late, take a different road, or have to find our way back. But if something stays in your heart for years, perhaps it is worth listening to.