Iris Chang

August 31, 2002, was the day that I held my first piano recital. The dream of students who learn musical instruments is to hold a recital. I am glad that I had this experience because it has changed my life.

I have played the piano for 19 years. I began playing the piano when I was five years old. Unlike most people though, learning the piano was a difficult process for me. Luckily, my mother has given me powerful resources; she has encouraged me to study music until now.  

Before deciding to hold this recital, I didn’t have enough confidence. I didn’t dare to stand up on the stage of a performing hall. When I played the piano in a practice room, I always cared about the opinions of other people. I usually thought the technique of the player who played in the practice-room beside me was better than mine. I worried that I would possibly make mistakes when I was playing. I even had the terrible idea to give up playing the piano. However, I have stood by my decision to learn music diligently.

When I graduated from the university, my piano professor suggested that I hold a piano recital. At first, I didn’t consider this carefully, but I decided that I should challenge myself before starting a new job. Then, I decided to hold my recital in a hall which contained one thousand people in the audience. I spent only two months in preparation. I chose one piece from each of the four musical periods: Baroque, The Classical Era, The Romantic Era, and The Contemporary Era.

During these two months, I concentrated on practicing and rehearsing. I felt strong pressure. Fortunately, the members of my family shared responsibility for the details of preparation. One of my friends designed the poster for me. My piano professor advised me on the details of programs. My father consulted with printing offices. My mother reserved the performing hall. My older brother communicated with the sound and video recording company. My parents advertised the concert by visiting, telephoning friends, and posting everywhere. My close aunty came back from Vancouver to support me.

At the beginning of the recital, I walked through the backstage to the stage. I felt like I was a superstar. I stood in the front of the Steinway & Sons for a few moments. I couldn’t believe that there were more than one thousand people coming to attend the recital. Some of them sat on the stairs because there were not enough seats. I wasn’t scared by such an amazing view. Eventually, I enjoyed performing the whole night. While I was playing the pieces of Bach, Scarlatti, Prokofieve, and Dohnanyi, it seemed like they came here and were in the audience to support me.

Finally, I held a successful recital. I was glad that my parents put a lot of energy and money into my recital. The recital not only belonged to me. It was an achievement for my family as well. After that, I became more enthusiastic and confident in playing music. Moreover, I had courage to study abroad. Undoubtedly, the recital changed my life. I have been studying at UNC for 6 months, but I am still taking English courses. I have to remember the success from the recital and keep working hard in order to enrich the specific knowledge in the music field. Also, I hope to use my confidence and courage to have a positive experience studying at UNC.