How did you get started in classical music?
I grew up being exposed to classical music; I went to symphony performances when I was a child, and I had a CD of Daniel Barenboim playing Mozart concerti. I travelled a lot as a child, so I wasn’t in a place where I could pick up an instrument until I was 15. At that point, I was living in Spain, and across the street was a library with an upright piano; I started to noodle around, and I loved it! I found a really encouraging teacher who introduced me to composers I hadn’t heard of previously.
My first teacher didn’t really focus on technique, he would just introduce me to music. For example, he would place a Beethoven sonata in front of me and tell me to play it through. When I got back to the US, I was lucky enough to study with a teacher who got her degree from Juilliard. When I went to her, I told her I wanted to become a concert pianist (she didn’t say that I couldn’t!). She gave me a lot of études and studies, so I had to take a step back from the repertoire; I had to go back to basics. After that, I continued with different teachers and got my Masters. At that point, I felt ready to go the competition route (I’m a laureate of seven different international competitions).
There was one competition, and the audition was being held at the Steinway hall. I came in a week early, introduced myself, and asked if I could try the piano. They said yes; the manager heard my playing, really enjoyed listening to me, and suggested that I apply for the Young Artist programme, which I did. 6 months later, I was officially a Young Steinway Artist!
Who are your favourite composers and why?
Chopin - not surprisingly - and Schubert. I gravitate toward Classical (era) composers as well as the Early Romantic composers. I resonate more with their musical language; I feel like it is direct in its (perceived) simplicity.
I feel this way about Schubert’s music; it is so focused on a singular melodic line. I feel like Schubert’s “Drei Klavierstücke” (which are very close to my heart) represent the scope of Schubert’s personality: the first movement is quite serious, the second is more lilting, and the third is comedic.
Chopin has a lot of focus on the melodic line, too, but with extra flourishes. Chopin’s music is very passionate, and it can become dark at times, but there are always elements of pride, hope, and perseverance. I think that is a beautiful message. That’s how I feel when I play his music! As well as the Chopin nocturnes, I love the piano concertos. I fell in love with the first concerto first, when I was younger. As time has gone on, I have grown to understand and love the second concerto just as much.
What is your favourite performance memory?
Two moments stand out:
One of my first “real” (professional) performances - just outside of Milan, Italy. I was playing a programme featuring a piece by Liszt (“Vallée d’Obermann”), which is technically challenging. I was incredibly anxious beforehand, and was asking myself “Can I pull it off?”. I did, and I was very proud of myself in that moment! My mentor Paul Badura-Skoda was in the audience, and he gave me a standing ovation; it touched my heart, and gave me a lot of confidence.
In Portugal, I was supposed to be playing the Schubert “Fantasy in F-minor” with my duo partner, and he dropped out the day before. Paul Badura-Skoda said “I can play piano, too!”, and said he could perform it with me. I was grinning from ear to ear! As we were walking on stage, he asked me why I was smiling so much - it was a dream come true!
What do you enjoy doing outside of music?
I practice yoga daily, and am certified to teach. I love yoga because it can be anything you want it to be! You can express yourself however you want to on a yoga mat.
I live in the countryside, so I love spending time in nature - I often go outside with my dog (Rachmaninov!). Nature grounds me and centres me, and I draw a lot of inspiration from it.
There are lots of other things I enjoy - like eating great food and drinking good wine!
Tell us about the Chopin Nocturne Project!
I started the Chopin Nocturne Project in February (2021). When it first started, I wasn’t sure what to expect. In the back of my mind, I had this idea of creating an album, but I wasn’t sure if it was possible - mostly due to financial reasons. I made a promise to record a nocturne every Friday, and I thought this would allow me the time necessary to really dive deeply and explore these works without pressure. Surprisingly, I received a lot of encouragement, as well as donations and contributions to this project. Because of the support of these wonderful people, I was able to create this album.
I recorded 95% of the album in one day - it was a 10-hour day at the piano! I had my incredible technician come in, and he was able to create exactly what I wanted. The piano was in perfect shape, so I played all of the nocturnes in succession - a piano doesn’t hold its tuning forever! I did about three takes for each nocturne. When I was editing, if I found a chord or trill I didn’t like, I re-recorded that section and edited it in. In three days, the recording and editing was all done. My brother-in-law mastered the tracks for me, and the whole album was done in less than a week!