Nai-Yuan Hu began studying the violin at age five and was soloist with the National Youth Orchestra of Taiwan three years later. He came to the United States in 1972 to continue his studies with Broadus Erle, Joseph Silverstein, and Josef Gingold. He was Mr. Gingold's assistant for two years before embarking on the concert career. He is featured as a violinist in the rooftop dinner scene of the film Kate & Leopold (2001).