April SOTM: Sean Wu

As the end of the school year creeps ever closer, it’s fitting to honor one of the Arcadia High School (AHS) Orchestra program’s most notable seniors! For the month of April, Symphony Orchestra violinist Sean Wu was nominated to be Student Of The Month (SOTM), both for his talent as a musician and dedication towards contributing to the program as a whole. 

Though Sean initially started playing violin in fourth grade, he didn’t fully focus on it right away. In fact, after trying his hand at the euphonium in sixth grade, he came close to dropping music altogether. Luckily, his peers in orchestra encouraged him to try the violin once more the summer after seventh grade, where he truly found his passion for the instrument. 

The violin stood out to Sean for multiple reasons. “Its distinctive silvery, ringing upper tone” always struck him as unique, but over time, he discovered other, hidden benefits—particularly its convenience. In his words, “I could practice while standing up, sitting down, walking around the living room, and even lying on the couch if I was really tired.”

Still, starting violin in seventh grade came with its fair share of challenges. At first, Sean felt the pressure of needing to live up to the standards of other, more experienced classmates, consistently practicing hard to do so. Eventually, he was able to overcome this mindset, instead finding value in orchestra as a place to unwind and enjoy music for what it is. According to Sean, this “ironically helped me improve my technical ability faster,” using orchestra “to destress and have fun rather than prove myself constantly.”

Outside of music, Sean has also had a positive impact on the community as a whole through this passion. As one of the treasurers on Orchestra Council, Sean has been able to grow through leadership in addition to handling the precise work of managing finances for the entire program. He’s also participated in the club Music Makes Miracles charity concerts, nursing home performances, and memorial concerts, all with the shared goal of helping others. 

“Using music to benefit and uplift others is something I am really proud of,” he remarked, and that playing “where some good music is appreciated…is really gratifying!”

In addition to improving his musicianship and stepping up in the community, Sean enjoys hanging out with his friends and family, playing badminton, and trying new restaurants. He’s also looking forward to pursuing new hobbies in the future! Sean names his favorite memory in orchestra as being on the San Francisco trip when he was a sophomore. 

“I loved everything about this trip, from visiting the theme parks to growing closer with the guys karaokeing in the back of the bus,” he recalled. 

Congratulations to Sean for being this April’s SOTM! Though the orchestra program will surely miss him, we wish him the best in his future beyond AHS!