Student of the Month: Natalie Huang

As the 2021 semester comes to an end, Arcadia orchestra students have been toiling hard to carry out the Annual Winter Concert. During the final weeks of intense practicing, the hard work of student section leaders is often overlooked. For the months of November and December, orchestra students have decided to spotlight a concertmaster who has put in unrelenting dedication towards the success of her orchestra.

Meet Natalie Huang. Natalie plays violin as a part of the String Orchestra. Natalie joined orchestra in elementary school and describes the program as a “very gratifying experience.” She has recently risen to the rank of Concertmaster, despite only being a freshman.

Natalie Huang, the November and December Student of the Month, accepting a certificate from director Ms. Pin Chen

Regarding her accomplishments in orchestra, Natalie doted on fellow peers and classmates as her source of inspiration, especially when she was just learning the ropes back in middle school.

Additionally, her long time affiliation with instruments has led her to feel a sense of belonging in the musical community. “I’ve been doing orchestra since fourth grade…It’s where all my friends are,” said Natalie.

She mentioned the significance of orchestra to her by reminiscing on what she missed playing together during online school. The previous year was especially hard, too, being the last year of middle school. Natalie missed out on a lot of concerts and time that could have been spent with friends was spent in front of a screen instead.

However, she has proven her resilience in the face of such struggle by “regaining agency” this year. Natalie continues to improve upon herself and stays positive, perhaps a result of her bright sense of humor.

During

one of the weekly sectionals, Natalie asked her fellow violins what they would do if they had an island to themselves. “There was a very Squid Game motivated answer,” Natalie said, chuckling. “One person said he wanted to see me and my friend fight.”

All funniness aside, Natalie says violin has helped her immensely in times of stress. She practices in between studying as a way to destress before returning back to the rest of her school work. Natalie is “grateful that [orchestra] doesn’t have written homework or tests.”