I don’t know who I would be without music, but I do know who I became because of it.

Music has acted as a bridge for me to connect myself to those around me in a deeper sense. From karaoke with my Vietnamese relatives to concerts & car rides with my friends, music has always been tied to me.

This connection has influenced me to create, not just consume, and so I turned to the piano (which I begged my father to purchase for me) my freshman year of high school. From there, I began to experiment with the keyboard. Without a teacher, I practiced on my own through Youtube videos, attempting my favorite songs such as Clair de lune & Canon in D. At first, the piano was difficult to grasp but being the competitive person I am, I was dedicated to playing my favorite songs. Slowly but surely, I saw myself putting more hours into the piano than into my studies. Over time, I progressively became more obsessed with my progress and the instrument as a whole. My piano has always been with me throughout my years in high school, whether I needed to play it for the joy of it or to maintain my sanity.

Evidently, I didn’t pick up the piano because anyone told me to, I did it because the sound of music moved me to. Even though my parents didn’t follow the typical Asian stereotype of forcing their child into playing an instrument such as the piano, they still support me and I will always carry that encouragement with me every time I sit down at the keys.