Arts Student of the Week: John Hu

Keynes Chen, the Niwot High School Orchestra Director and the Assistant Director of Band, said his student, John Hu, "has shown dedication and strong leadership ever since he was a freshman at NHS." Hu is currently a junior and the principal violist in all three of the high school orchestras including Sinfonia, Conservatory, and the Symphony Orchestra.

"He always knows his music well," Chen said, "and I can definitely count on him during rehearsals and performances." It is this dedication to music that led to Hu's selection as Arts Student of the Week.

Hu started playing viola at Altona Middle School. He participated in the orchestra program for all three of his years at Altona, and has continued for every year he has been at NHS. "Simply just enjoying playing the viola in an orchestra was the most important part of becoming the principal viola," Hu said. Prioritizing orchestra classes in his schedule led him to this point. "Niwot also has a variety of fantastic teachers," Hu said, "who can explain concepts very clearly or push you to improve."

Hu does not have a favorite composer or performer, but is a fan of many. If pressed to name a composer, Hu confessed, "It would be Vivaldi, because I'm a fan of his Four Seasons." But as a musician, the violist has explored many styles. "One style of music that I am very unfamiliar with is metal, due to the absence of a viola in that style," Hu said.

"Viola is the medium voice in an orchestra," Hu said. "You are in between the high violins and the low cellos and basses. The best part of playing viola is playing with other instruments in the orchestra. When everything clicks and you play a piece beautifully, it is a fantastic experience. The performers that have influenced me the most are the other violists in the orchestra. Seeing them play so well has inspired and pushed me to improve."

In addition to his studies, Hu participates in the orchestra's student leadership team, the Orchestra Advisory Student-Initiative Society (OASIS), and he plans to be very involved with the tutoring program OASIS is developing.

"He is well liked by his peers," Chen said, "due to his exemplary performance and attitude as well as his genuine friendliness and respectful nature." The high school junior also enjoys playing tennis and volleyball. "I like sports with nets in the middle of the court," Hu explained. In addition, he enjoys video games and knitting. When he graduates from NHS, Hu plans to attend college and major in biology, and he ultimately hopes to contribute to society's knowledge in a scientific field, making new discoveries or creating new research.