Keila's Story
"Life is full of stories, and this one is mine.”
When Keila Wakao, Walnut Hill Class of ’24, spoke these words in 2017 at TEDxYouth, it was apparent that her star was only beginning to shine.
Keila is a world-renowned violinist who has been mastering her craft since she was three years old. Now accepted into the New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) Class of ’28 to study under Miriam Fried, she dreams of pursuing a master’s degree in Europe.
Now a recent high school graduate, Walnut Hill counts her among the institution’s most promising young talents ever to attend the School. Her friends and teachers are eager to follow what will likely be an exceptional musical journey throughout her life.
“I wanted to find an arts high school where I had the flexibility I needed to balance academics and music, but also be in a community where music and the arts is appreciated,” she says. “I could see myself in this kind of community.”
Keila's Journey to Walnut Hill
A hometown girl, Keila had heard about Walnut Hill long before she was able to attend. Born and raised in Boston, she comes from a talented musical family—her father, Keisuke Wakao, has been Assistant Principal Oboe of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) since 1990 and is on faculty at NEC.
Keila was accepted as a student of former BSO concertmaster Joseph Silverstein when she was only six years old. Three short years later, she became a student of Donald Weilerstein and performed her first solo with orchestra, and eventually played alongside Itzhak Perlman and Soovin Kim, all accomplished, world-renowned violinists.
Here’s a short list of some of the awards and achievements Keila has earned in just the past few years:
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First Prize in the 2021 Menuhin International Violin Competition Junior Division
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Gold Medal and Bach Prize at the 2021 Stulberg International String Competition
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Japan’s 2023 Aoyama Music Foundation Award for Upcoming Artists
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Charlotte White’s Salon de Virtuosi Career Grant in New York
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Next Generation Distinguished Cultural Achievement Award from the Japan Society of Boston
A School to Call Home
As a determined middle school student, she was already looking ahead to her high school years. Having already experienced challenges balancing academic requirements and musical priorities prior to her high school years, Keila recognized that choosing an arts high school—one that understood and embraced the schedules of artists and musicians like herself—would be her best option. It became apparent that she needed to find a high school that not only accommodated her performance schedule, but celebrated it.
As a private arts high school focused on balancing arts and rigorous academics, Walnut Hill was the perfect place for Keila to prioritize her passion for music alongside her academic aspirations.
“I was looking for a high school where I could still pursue my musical path and concert engagements and also had a strong academic background,” she remarks. “Then I found out about Walnut Hill.”
Wanting to benefit from this kind of educational experience, Keila auditioned and began at Walnut Hill her sophomore year.
An Immersive Music Education
Students at Walnut Hill study far more than just their chosen major. Most days from around 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Keila attended typical high school classes, fulfilling credit requirements for her diploma. In the afternoon, Keila’s time focused on practicing her craft—as much as five hours a day spent in practice rooms or rehearsals.
She adds it’s the community that surrounded her at Walnut Hill that made her high school years so special.
“There are lots of different levels and skills within the music department, but it's just a genuine community of people who really love music, and it's nice to be able to connect with people who really love what you do,” she says.
Keila notes that the support she received from Walnut Hill teachers when she had to miss school—once for a period of three weeks—was extremely helpful and shows the compassion and dedication of teachers and staff.
Keila notes that her “teacher would always ask me, ‘Is everything okay? Anything I can help with? Anything I can support you with?’ My art was celebrated, and then my teacher would meet me on a Zoom call to talk through everything I missed.”
She also says that Mrs. Elowitch, Ms. Thielke, and Ms. Sher were particularly supportive of her during this hectic but exhilarating time.
Meet Gael, a dancer from Mexico who performed at the Boston Opera House while attending Walnut Hill.
Keila Shares Why Students Should Choose an Arts High School
When asked what she might say to a student considering applying to Walnut Hill, Keila’s answer was simple—it doesn’t matter if you don’t plan on making music or the arts your career; attending Walnut Hill allows students to explore their artistic expression while balancing their high school education, and is the perfect way to avoid compromising on your passions and talent.
“Even if you have doubts about making music your career, there's still so much you can learn from being at Walnut Hill,” she says. “If you decide you want to pursue something completely different, you still have the academic support you need and you'll still meet wonderful people that share the same interests as you. You can still go to great universities after coming to an arts school. I personally want to play music for the rest of my life. If music or practicing your art is something that you're really passionate about, Walnut Hill is a great option."
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