Punahou alumna Ash Bu ’25 was featured this week on National Public Radio’s From the Top, which aired on Sept. 15, 2025. Ash performed her original guitar composition Moonshine and shared her story with listeners nationwide.
From the Top features the astounding performances and captivating personal stories of talented, classically trained young musicians from across the country. Broadcast on more than 200 stations nationwide, it is the most popular one-hour weekly syndicated classical program on public radio.
Bu, who began guitar at age seven and studied under Punahou faculty member Darin Au, was a member of the school’s Classic Guitar Ensemble throughout high school. Encouraged to audition for the show in 2024, she was selected later that year and traveled to San Francisco in January 2025 to record her performance and interview.
Known for blending classical, jazz and rock influences, Bu experiments with alternate tunings and percussive techniques. She has performed at venues across Honolulu, studied with internationally acclaimed guitarists, and participated in national honor ensembles and international competitions.
Beyond music, Bu was editor-in-chief of Ka Wai Ola, Punahou’s art and writing magazine, Speech and Debate captain, Improv Club president and a Democracy Fellow. She graduated from Punahou in 2025 and is now a freshman at Harvard University.
You can listen to her episode of From the Top here and learn more about her: From the Top profile.
Photo by Murllin Bender