| As I looked down at my most recent composition lit by | | | | Until towards the end of my senior year I was the |
| my grand piano lamp, the piano lamp that my | | | | chosen as the main performance at the concert at my |
| grandmother gave me, I looked back on my life and all | | | | high school. I performed Beethoven and one of my |
| that I have been through. When I was younger I was | | | | own compositions. I got a standing ovation! College |
| always drawn to music and the arts. Math never really | | | | was a blur. All I did was practice, write music, and |
| interested me. There was no room for interpretation, | | | | study. Upon graduating I joined the Cincinnati Orchestra. |
| there was no legroom. Either you were right or wrong. | | | | I did not perform any of my on music, but it was good |
| There was no creativity. However, in music you can | | | | practice. I did write music on the side. Eventually I |
| do whatever you want. There is no right or wrong | | | | started to play more and more solos. |
| answer. I started piano lessons really early. My family | | | | Until I wrote an Oscar winning song for an upcoming |
| didn't have a lot of money; however, my mother | | | | movie, then I exploded into fame. Everybody wanted |
| scraped together what she could in order to pay the | | | | me to write songs for movies or commercials or for |
| old lady across the street. Truly at first I was not very | | | | record deals. It was too much. I ended up going back |
| good at all. I practiced and practiced and nothing | | | | to my home and trying to stay out of the spotlight. |
| seemed to work. | | | | When I returned home, I brought my grand piano to |
| However, one day everything just clicked. I understood | | | | practice with. My grandmother bought me the most |
| the notes and tone and everything. I was in love. From | | | | beautiful grand piano light. This piano light is the most |
| that day on I have played the piano just about | | | | meaning full thing to me. |
| everyday, and I have loved every moment of it. In high | | | | My grandmother died 6 months after she gave it to |
| school I started playing with the concert band and the | | | | me. That was the worst day of my life. This pain |
| strings. I even played a solo or two. It was my high | | | | showed in my music. I started to write more and more |
| school band teacher, who encouraged me to start | | | | depressing pieces. I released a CD with all of these |
| writing my own music. At first the process was | | | | songs. It was not a best seller or anything; however, it |
| awkward and forced. I got writers block and often | | | | was nice to get my feelings out there. Even though I |
| started over. | | | | don't have the fame I once had I am still happy. All the |
| Over the next two years I gradually started to gain | | | | flashing and attention messes with your mind. It is not |
| more and more confidence about my compositions. | | | | worth the money and fame. |