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# Piano Keys That Opened Doors: How Piano Changed My Worldview

November 30, 2023 Neha Senthilkumar

Six years ago, I stepped into the New Tampa Piano and Pedagogy Academy for the very first time. Armed only with my exceedingly basic knowledge of Hot Cross Buns, I knew that I was in for a ride.

Originally, I had nothing but the most grand aspirations — I wanted to master the Moonlight Sonata, and maybe even a Chopin Nocturne or two. Little did I know that I would end up learning far more from my piano classes than just these classic pieces.

Through my time at the academy, I've learned resilience. I think back to the group class before my very first recital, and the all-consuming fear I felt at the idea of messing up in front of all those people. My hands trembled at the very thought of it. As I shakily started to play, my teacher stopped me. "When you get on stage, you're not going to play perfectly," she said. Slip-ups are inevitable. She warned me not to overthink one mistake and ruin the rest of the performance in the process. The most important thing is to acknowledge what happened, and then move on. I've applied this timeless advice not only to my performances, but throughout other areas of my life.

In the same way, I've learned the importance of feelings over technicalities. After one particularly robotic rehearsal of a sonatina, I looked up to be met with my teacher's disappointed expression. Hadn't I played every note perfectly? That day she reminded me that the audience wouldn't have known whether I'd played flawlessly or not — but they would have understood that it wasn't genuine. What we truly remember at the end of a performance is the way it makes us feel. I let go of the fear of making small technical mistakes; really, the biggest mistake is to let that fear stop you from performing with emotion and expression.

It's true that my time at the academy has instilled in me a lifelong love for music. But for me, piano education has always been about much more than the instrument — it's been a major catalyst for my personal growth. These small pieces of advice have transformed into life lessons that ultimately changed the way I see the world. Thanks to all these years of hard work, and the unwavering support of my teachers, I'm proud to say that in the end I have grown not only as a pianist, but as a person.

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