"In high school was when I wanted to do it on my own," he said.

While a teenager, Lin attended the pre-college program of Manhattan's Julliard School, which was where he first met Loeb.

Lin's burgeoning career has taken him around the world. In Hannover, Germany, he became the youngest violinist ever to win a prize at the prestigious International Violin Competition.

One of the highlights of Lin's career outside Harvard is his performance as a featured soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra last spring.

This spring, he won Harvard's Lewis Sudler Prize, which is awarded annually to a graduating senior for outstanding achievement in the arts.

After graduating, Lin plans to live in New York City and concentrate on playing the violin.

"I've got a lot to learn," he said. "I'm eager to go out there and really dedicate myself to it."