Piano has been, for a long time, my dearest companion and one of my most favorite hobbies ever since I was 5. So I guess, it’s been at least 10 years since I started playing. I loved performing piano pieces, some of my most favorite pieces including the “Time Travel Theme” by Jay Chou from the 2007 film Secret, “Bon! Bon!” by Pianist Lee Jin Wook, etc.. However, due to a busier schedule, I stopped going to piano academy, which I dearly miss as I had built many memories on those nearly worn-out piano keys from the many kids that had played before me. However, my passion for piano couldn’t simply stop there.

My fingers were itching whenever I played some other instrument, such as the flute or ukelele, which also require a lot of individual finger movement. So, I asked a favor to my choir teacher(in Middle School, we’re required to join choir) if I could accompany for one piece at the Christmas concert, and she approved. That concert night was really special as it was a turning point in my entire musician journey as I had never accompanied for a choir that large (I usually accompanied for soloists or groups of 3~4), or at such a formal occasion. (I also did sing too that day)

But as if my choir teacher had enjoyed my accompaniment, she had requested me to accompany for the following concerts, even until high school. So, I accompanied every single concert from then on, and I remember I really enjoyed accompanying the piece “Skyfall (SATB Choir)” arranged by Paul Langford despite a terrible pinky finger injury, which I eventually stubbornly persuaded my choir teacher that I would play with the pinky finger cast on (I did perform that day).

Although I don’t take choir anymore, the choir teacher and I had originally promised to accompany for her, but with the emergence of COVID-19, most of the concerts were cancelled.

I did not want to rest my fingers, I wanted to keep them busy with piano. So, a new goal I set for myself that I am still working on (since May-ish of 2020) is to master Frédéric Chopin’s Fantaisie-Impromptu in C♯ minor, Op. posth. 66. This is a HUGE challenge for me because the songs I had learned in piano academy were all remakes of popular theme songs from movies or famous pop songs. (Or other Yiruma songs), and it was my dream to be able to perform a classic piece that anyone in the world can recognize as a familiar tune.

You know how people advise you to try to set up a realistic time period by which you will want to finish your goal? My goal is to master this by senior year, as I’ve started practicing since Freshman, so imagine how fast my fingers will turn once I graduate high school (Gee, I wonder if I’ll ever even come to that time)

Here is a current recording of me practicing: (I couldn’t upload the full version as it exceeded the limit of the video: (and yes, I’m sorry about the TERRIBLE dynamics, finger rolls and the number of errors I-)

Despite it being over a decade since I played piano, I still see many flaws in my positions and dynamics, and finger choices during big scales. I’ve been told ever since I was little that my hands are too flat when playing piano, so I need to curve them while playing so I can play with more ease and speed. Today, I worked on finger chromatic scales.

-Joanna Kim, Feb. 20, 2021. 3:28 PM KST