8VA Hall, 11/17/24
Have you ever imagined trying something completely outside your normal routine? Something that pushes you out of your comfort zone—only to discover you can do it without falling flat on your face?

Chances are, many of you have in one form or another!

On Sunday, November 17th, I finally had the chance to see if a project we had been working on for months would come together. Sixteen pianists (age 10-17) from Oclef and Bay Area, joined by members of the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra, shared the stage for one evening to perform a selection of my compositions at 8VA Hall. The result? A wonderful success, with every performer giving it their all.

What made this event even more special was that not one of these pianists had ever performed solo with an orchestra. In fact, 90% had never performed with an orchestra at all. Yet, this challenge didn’t faze them. Instead, it inspired them to dive deeper into the character of each piece and take more time to listen. As rehearsals progressed, I could see each pianist beginning to find their rhythm and sound. Some even asked if they could rehearse certain sections again, and inform me of where they'd like to add rubato!

The day before the concert, I conducted a three-hour rehearsal with all 16 pianists and the orchestra. We had 13 pieces to work through. My two main goals were simple:

Simple, yes—but these priorities helped me stay focused and prevented overthinking. By sticking to these clear objectives, we had a productive rehearsal, and the performers felt confident and prepared for their big night.

It truly takes a village to run an event like this. From scheduling rehearsals and handling ticketing to processing payments and fielding inquiries from parents, there was no shortage of moving parts. It’s a topic I’ll dive deeper into in my next blog, but one big takeaway was this: if I put myself in the customers shoes and ask:

What do they need to know?

…then I can streamline operations and delegate tasks effectively. By seeking help from colleagues and striving to simplify communication, we kept everything running smoothly.

When all the nuts and bolts were in place, the event became a celebration of young pianists showcasing their artistry on stage. After the performance, many students shared how much they enjoyed the experience and expressed interest in performing with an orchestra again. Several students even expressed their excitement to audition for the 2025 festival.

For me, this was the greatest success of all. Seeing these young musicians ignite a passion to explore piano further and collaborate with others. To top it off, families and teachers left smiling, proud of their children.

I’m deeply grateful for this opportunity and excited to share more lessons from this journey in the future.

Until the next episode...