Three judges. Two Steinway pianos. Me. And the empty seats. The air was still and the silence echoed on the stage. I prayed, not for the first place, but for a solid performance that will reflect my true abilities and the timeless hours of practice on hot summer days.
I had my debut in 2010 with the Beach Cities Symphony Orchestra. But to arrive at where I am today, I had to go through numerous obstacles, such as money, time, and strength. I started to play the piano at age eight in Dubai, U.A.E. Classical music was so bizarre compared to the blaring and passionate Arabic music. But because of its difference, I fell in love with classical music.
After I moved to two other countries (South Korea and the U.S.A.), I studied under three teachers, who taught me three important aspects of piano. The second teacher helped me focus on technique, the third teacher taught me the great importance of theory, and the fourth and current teacher taught me to play my music with feelings and convey the same emotion to the audience. The three important aspects of music helped me win various competitions, which boosted my confidence and self-esteem. Music made me whom I am today: I'm a great presenter and an excellent listener. And trust me, I didn't win first place in every competition. But this process helped me remind myself that I'm not the best pianist, which meant that I needed to push myself to practice more diligently, and be humble.
I'm still learning the piano and I have a long way to go. But I'm glad that my talent in music helped me mature and allowed me to play in the church worship services and other places. Above all, I am proud to say that I was able to accomplish great personal qualities and talent despite having to move around to other countries and study under three different teachers. I hope to find other ways to utilize my talent for the bigger community in the future.
I had my debut in 2010 with the Beach Cities Symphony Orchestra. But to arrive at where I am today, I had to go through numerous obstacles, such as money, time, and strength. I started to play the piano at age eight in Dubai, U.A.E. Classical music was so bizarre compared to the blaring and passionate Arabic music. But because of its difference, I fell in love with classical music.
After I moved to two other countries (South Korea and the U.S.A.), I studied under three teachers, who taught me three important aspects of piano. The second teacher helped me focus on technique, the third teacher taught me the great importance of theory, and the fourth and current teacher taught me to play my music with feelings and convey the same emotion to the audience. The three important aspects of music helped me win various competitions, which boosted my confidence and self-esteem. Music made me whom I am today: I'm a great presenter and an excellent listener. And trust me, I didn't win first place in every competition. But this process helped me remind myself that I'm not the best pianist, which meant that I needed to push myself to practice more diligently, and be humble.
I'm still learning the piano and I have a long way to go. But I'm glad that my talent in music helped me mature and allowed me to play in the church worship services and other places. Above all, I am proud to say that I was able to accomplish great personal qualities and talent despite having to move around to other countries and study under three different teachers. I hope to find other ways to utilize my talent for the bigger community in the future.