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Holly G. Yu, musician, athlete, writer…native to Southern California, is currently a senior at Aliso Niguel High School. She is planning to attend University of Pennsylvania this fall.
Her path in music began with piano lessons at age of six. She started to play violin in 4th grade and fell in love with it after listening to Itzhak Perlman’s CD, Bits and Pieces. She has since participated in All Southern California Honor Orchestra, Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra, Orange County Junior Chamber Group, Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra, Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival, California Summer Music Festival, and the Musishare Young Artist Program where she has played in master classes taught by many of today’s finest masters.
She professes undying devotion to classical music of the Romantic era, especially Tchaikovsky’s music. She is the concertmaster of Aliso Niguel High School Orchestra and the co-founder, manager and 1st violinist of Aliso Niguel String Quartet. Many of their recordings can be found online.
Her favorite quote is “far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing” by Teddy Roosevelt.
Reviewed by Wen Lung for Readers' Favorite
"Finding My Way" is an inspiring compilation of life lessons written by Holly Yu. She is an American born Chinese and her book very aptly shows bits of her strong Chinese culture even while growing up away from her roots. "Finding My Way" is written from the viewpoint of an adolescent drawing on life experiences from her softball trainings to her passion for violin, and her interactions with various people who have played a role in shaping the author’s character and values. Holly Yu’s book provides insights into the life and decisions that every teenager will have to face; what is inspiring, however, is how she approaches each crossroad, and how she learns something from every experience.
"Finding My Way" is a thoroughly enjoyable read. What I love most about it is how real and raw the author’s experiences are. It isn’t heavily seasoned with exaggerated stories of success or egoistic endeavors; instead it is an honest reflection of her struggles and achievements. I believe Holly Yu’s authentic writing really works in getting readers to connect with her experiences. During the victories of her softball matches, I found myself smiling along with her, and when she delivered a violin performance that wasn’t up to her standard, I could only sympathize with her. Her passion and drive for her goals and life in general is definitely translated onto every page. This easy to relate to book is definitely worth a read, especially for teenagers who might be going through the same dilemmas as Holly Yu did. For teachers, coaches and parents, it shows how much influence one can have in moulding a person to be better than she is.
