The piano keys are black and white but they sound like a million colours in your mind.
— Maria Cristina Mena.
Piano has always been an important part of my life. From as early as I can remember, my parents were always playing a wide variety of piano music on both vinyl records and CDs. From Mozart concertos to Billy Joel, Richard Clayderman, Enya, and children’s music, my ears grew to appreciate the versatility of this amazing instrument. However it was their ‘pianola’ self-playing piano that drew me in the most as a young boy. Live music felt it had more dimensions to it than sound simulated by speakers. I recall listening to Puff the magic dragon and Teddy bears’ picnic, and watching the keys moving magically by themselves. I longed to be able to play like that.
Seeing my interest in the piano, my parents sent me to my first piano class at age five. After completing my classical performance and theory exams by 1998, this marked an inflection point in focus from playing primarily for exam preparation to instead playing for relaxation and pleasure. With no more pressure from external expectations to learn from parents or teachers, it was at this point I realized just how much the piano had become a part of me. The piano remains an essential source of my health, motivation, and achievements in many other areas of life.
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