March 2009

Hello everyone,

My apologies for not updating this website in the past 2 months. Though the site has been relatively inactive, I still appreciate all those who have been checking back to see if there is anything new. I just recently performed for the Canadian Chopin Society, who were putting together a fundraiser for their upcoming 2010 Canadian Chopin Competition (http://www.chopinfestival2010.com). I was fortunate enough to get third prize in that competition, which opened so many doors. BravoTV! was there to film it, and somewhere I still have that documentary on DVD.  It was during that time when my musical opportunities really started to open up. Here is a picture when I was rehearsing at the Chopin Academy in Warsaw for the International Chopin Competition, way back in 2005.

I remember as if it was yesterday. My heart was pounding all week during the preliminaries, but the experience was once in a lifetime. I felt like I played with all my might, though I did not make it to the next round. It was at that competition where I met some pianist from Paris, who told me about the Paris Amateur Piano Competition. I competed in that just 4 months after Warsaw, and the rest is history.

Fast forward to the present day, where it’s been 3 years since I have entered any competition. It’s been a non-stop whirlwind of adventures, performing all over the world and meeting new friends. I have been so fortunate, in that I have never had to ask for a performance opportunity. All my experiences have just come without the need of a manager, agent or publicist. I suppose if I was to work harder at it, I could find more opportunities to play, but I doubt I’d have the time. I feel just as happy playing for a living room full of eager listeners as I do on stage in front of a capacity crowd. And by happy...I mean nervous! Some of you may know that I have been facing some health issues over the last 1-2 years, which has also played a role in how much I have been able to play.

Since I am starting to feel like I am regaining my strength back, it’s time to move forward. There has been a lot of things going on in my life, though I won’t go into all the details in this entry. I will let you know that since I am feeling much better now, I have decided to “turn back the clock” to 3 years ago, and enter a competition. It’s the inaugural International Bösendorfer Piano Competition for Amateurs in Vienna. There was an application/audition round, and 25 competitors have now been selected to compete. I recognize many of the names from my experience with the Pianestival group (http://www.pianestival.org). From those I recognize I can say that there are at least 4 winners from previous international competitions, and many more finalists as well. It’s certainly a highly respectable group, full of top-level pianists.

I am only now getting excited for the chance to be in competition form again. I am trying not to put pressure on the fact that since I won my last competition, I must do so again. This time I am using the experience as a personal goal to overcome my physical and mental battles, so the motivation is completely different. That’s what’s so great about these amateur events; we aren’t relying on them to launch our careers, so it’s not a “make or break” atmosphere. Of course it’s very tense, but the energy is so much more positive.  It’s been a while since I have been in Vienna, and I look forward to meeting all my friends and fellow competitors. We’ll get the chance to play some of the finest Bösendorfer pianos in the world, as the competition will be held in their main facility! I’ll keep you posted of my activities, and I will also be keeping a daily log of my experiences there. From Vienna, I will then prepare for a concert with Pianestival in Rio de Janeiro in August. After that, who knows where life will take me…