Interview by Newt Davies
Welcome to Rising Stars Magazine. Awesome to have you with us. You are the first solo pianist that SIFF has seen. This is exciting. Thank you, I am glad to participate in SIFF this season.
I am from Hidden Springs, a quiet town sleeping behind the mountains.
I’ve been playing the piano since I was five. The piano is my comfort instrument. I think to understand why I would have to tell you a little bit about my childhood. My parents passed away when I was young and I was raised by my grandmother. In the beginning I missed my parents a lot and would sit silently and wait for them to return. My grandmother would sit at the piano and play for me. It really comforted me. One day Grandmother sat me at the keys and I started playing. So maybe the piano chose me and it was my destiny.
Classical music is timeless. As simple as it is complex. Classical music is an art form of it’s own.
What is it like to be described as a prodigy? I listen, I learn fast and use creativity as a tool to inspire. Because I can play a full score after hearing it once or twice I am called a prodigy but I am only doing what I love.
With my Grandmother as my sponsor, I entered piano competitions since a young age. Winning competitions got me recognized very quickly and I was invited to play in multiple Classical Music Festivals across the country. Being in the music festivals brought me into contact with many talented and well known musicians and composers. I was invited to open several concerts. Eventually, I gathered my own fan base and had my own concerts. Everything happened with the support of my Grandmother. Thank you, Grandma.
In the world of piano music, the critics will always compare current music to the great and famous of the past like Mozart, Beethoven and Bach. Veer too far from tradition and they say you are not classical enough, too similar to the traditional sound and they say you are
uninspired and only mimicking the great ones. It’s a fine line. For me, I try to preserve elements of the classical while also incorporating subtle ideas that make it different but still keeping it timeless. This has seem to please the critics and fans alike.
From the comments I’ve been getting from Facebook and Twitter, my fans seem to love the new album. My musical friends are supportive. My Grandmother is very proud.
SIFF is open to a large array of talents and doesn’t discriminate against music type or genre. This was a big draw for me and an opportunity to share my piano music with an open-minded audience with a variety of Tastes.
Unfortunately, other commitments have me unable to complete my music video for SIFF at this time. But I will enjoy watching all the entries and giving my support.
After a few more albums, a few more concerts, maybe some collaborations, I believe I would like to teach classical piano at one point. I would love to teach children. They are a wonder and would be fun to work with.