Even as he was attaining a splendid record of achievement with the harmonica, Kuo found himself moved by the passion and skill of violin contestants at a national competition in Tokyo. The instrument had charmed him, and he began to study with Akio Shimizu, a violinist with the NHK symphony orchestra.
儘管在口琴演奏上成績耀眼，但是在東京一場全國音樂比賽上，郭芝苑受到入選者演奏小提琴的熱情和技巧感動，也迷上小提琴，並跟隨 NHK 電視台交響樂團小提琴手清水章央學琴。