When 26-year-old Lin Xinsheng logged onto her computer for the interview, she had just finished teaching a music class at a public school and rushed home for a brief rest before heading out again for the Boston Philharmonic’s concert rehearsal that evening. As the second violinist, she had only a week and a half to prepare for three new pieces.
“It’s pretty crazy, right?” Lin chuckled.
Having just graduated with a master’s degree in violin performance from Boston University this past summer, Lin is balancing two distinct roles. By day, she teaches music at a public elementary school in the Boston suburbs; in her spare time, she performs as a professional violinist.
The day after our interview, Lin was set to participate in the Boston Philharmonic’s winter concert, making this her second performance with the orchestra at the prestigious Boston Symphony Hall. After successfully auditioning for the ensemble, Lin was eagerly anticipating the concert but was surprised to find she hadn’t yet received rehearsal details. Taking the initiative, she approached the orchestra manager and discovered there was an opening for a second violinist. She jumped at the chance to join the rehearsal, which was already in its third session, just over a week before the performance. Although she felt nervous, she chose to embrace the challenge.
Lin started her musical journey at a young age, initially pushed by her mother to learn the piano. At seven, she incorporated the violin as her second instrument. Looking back on her childhood, she acknowledges the importance of her parents’ strict supervision. “Without it, I might have just played video games or watched TV all day. It helped me to practice regularly and develop a good habit.”
Her dedication to the violin has carried her through her childhood and all the way to graduate school. Throughout her studies, Lin discovered her passion for teaching and decided to pursue a career focused mainly on education while still engaging in performance. “Teaching provides a more stable job for me, and I gain a sense of accomplishment from my students as well as my own growth. Receiving little cards from the kids makes me feel really warm inside.”
However, Lin humbly refers to herself as a “rookie teacher,” acknowledging that there’s still much to learn in her newfound role. One of her biggest challenges is managing her energetic elementary students. In her music classes, she teaches various instruments, not just the violin but also viola, cello, and double bass, handling a classroom of 35 students, all starting from scratch. While the challenges are significant, Lin also experiences unprecedented satisfaction.
“What’s incredible is seeing them go from having no idea how to hold an instrument to playing simple songs… it’s like molding a lump of clay into a shape,” she said.
Having accumulated substantial performance and teaching experience in Taiwan, Lin has chosen to stay in the U.S. to develop her career, influenced heavily by the cultural environment. She appreciates the freedom and supportive atmosphere within public education, which provides her with a sense of job security, and she is deeply immersed in Boston’s vibrant music scene. “Boston has an incredibly rich classical music resource, and I often attend fantastic, free concerts. That’s a significant motivation for me to stay.”
When asked about her musical inspirations, Lin mentioned the Parker Quartet. “I frequently attend their concerts. You can really hear the unique sound that comes from decades of friendship and collaboration. If I could find like-minded friends to form a string quartet in the future, that would be amazing!”