Life is an adventure. When I was four years old I heard Yo-Yo Ma in Shanghai and immediately knew that was what I wanted to do with my life. I began private lessons and then enrolled in the Shanghai Conservatory where I completed my schooling. Then, to fulfil my dream of being a fine cellist, I moved to Calgary, Canada and spent the next year studying English and cello at Mount Royal College. Since 2000, I have been attending North Park University in Chicago, under full scholarship, and have been studying cello with Professor Hans Jensen at Northwestern University.
             I am now a senior at North Park University and so am considering how best to pursue advanced musical studies as my dream is still to become a professional musician. I have been searching for an institution that would help make that dream a reality. Juilliard is, of course, a wonderful music school and attracts a very high calibre of students and instructors. I believe it would be a great experience to have the opportunity of being able to work with them. I just performed a student recital at North Park University with Midori and she strongly suggested that I should seek out opportunities to work with highly skilled musicians.
             As well, I am obviously attracted to the extraordinary depth and range of cultural institutions in New York City, including the New York Philharmonic, the world-renowned musicians who perform at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, and both the Metropolitan Opera and New York City Opera Companies. I am sure that being exposed to all this would add depth and understanding to my development as a musician. Access to these and associated musical opportunities is of great value to any serious student of music.
             My studies under Prof. Jensen have helped a great deal with my musical development but I believe that I am at the stage where I can greatly benefit from a focused, conservatory-like music school. Also, I believe I would be particularly comfort...