So wonderful to read everyoneās stories and journeys! What a great thread and a great idea. Iāll share my own.
Basically, I always knew I was in love with the piano. Pianos were in my kindergarten and elementary schools, my family church, and momās social clubs - people would play for me, teach me little songs, and let me just āimproviseā lol. Around second grade, my parents bought me a little RadioShack Casio keyboard and I realized I could play back melodies by ear.
Around seventh grade, I started taking it more seriously when I was introduced to Solo Piano/New Age music (think Yanni/David Lanz). My parents brought a 61-key Casio keyboard. I played along to them by ear, learned to play with both hands, and also began creating my own compositions. By freshman year, I was nearly at an intermediate level in terms of technique, but I couldnāt read music and didnāt know any theory.
Around February of 2001, I met my only teacher. She had studied with Rudolph Ganz, taught at my school, and also had her own studio. She introduced me to classical music and I was hooked. She took me under her wing. Sightreading, theory, Hanon, repertoire/scholarly study. I made really fast progress, and, in two years, by 2003, I was doing local, state, and regional competitions, and went from playing Fur Elise and Chopinās Nocturne in C Minor to playing (sufficiently, not particularly brilliantly lol) La Campanella and Scriabinās Etude Op 8 No 12. I also began writing serious short and long-form compositions (all of which are lost unfortunately). In my junior year, I auditioned and got a four-year scholarship to Berklee College of Music for Composition & Piano Performance. I planned to audition for Julliard and Curtiss in my senior year.
The summer of my junior year, though, everything derailed. Both my parents got very sick around the same time to the point of being home bound. I started suffering from depression and anxiety, partly from worrying about my parents, partly because those things are genetic on both sides of the family, and partly because of the pressure Iād put myself under. I pretty much fell apart senior year, could barely function, and basically dropped out of high school to be with my parents. The idea of leaving them to pursue dreams seemed impossible and my mental state was fragile.
Some dark years followed, but luckily we all survived. However, I didnāt pursue those dreams. I floated through life for a few years, fell into nonprofit work, and worked my way up to being an administrator for a fairly large company. I started pursuing the arts again in 2016, but for creative writing, not piano. From what Iād learned in the nonprofit world, I secured grants and fellowships to be an independent artist. My teacher, who Iād build a true relationship with and who Iād visit and talk to over the years, was happy for me, and, on more than one occasion, āwondered out loudā if I would also be returning to the piano, lol. Unfortunately, my teacher died in 2017 before I started playing the piano again. She wanted me to have her Bosendorfer, but her husband wouldnāt give it to me. Thatās another story, lol.
Anyway, the pandemic came. We were all stuck in our homes. While watching Youtube, who should randomly pop up in my suggested searches but good olā Vladimir Horowitz! I remembered when that had been my dream, and before long, I was watching performances from all the old and the new greats. I thought about trying the piano again on my own terms, and bought myself a little Yamaha P-125. It all came back pretty quickly. Upgraded to a P-515. Thatās around the time I joined Pianoworld. Learned from all the great minds there about VSTs and digitals/hybrids while also reconnecting with a classical community.
Iām back into it fairly seriously now. Iāve done local and regional performances and teach out of my home studio. I have a pretty solid repertoire of around 25 pieces, although my focus is on composition - I donāt have the desire, discipline, constitution, or stamina to be a concert pianist, and since Iām 37, by the standards of the classical industry, Iām ātoo oldā to make a go of it anyway, lol. But luckily composition is where my heart truly is regardless. Iām working on my first piano sonata and piano concerto as well as some shorts. Will be starting a Youtube soon. Iāve successfully pitched my first classical album to a record company and hope to release it in 2024/2025, featuring some of my favorite pieces alongside my own compositions. And weāll see what happens, lol. I have no delusions that Iāll ever be rich or even famous for it, but if I can do it on my own terms, and a few people out there like it, I wouldnāt mind that.
So yeah, thatās my story.
