Age: 16

1. When and how did you get started practicing your art form?
   I was immersed in the world of music at the age of 5 when I started taking basic piano lessons from my cousin. At the time, I would always be listening to my sister and my cousins playing piano and I fell in love with the sound and really wanted to learn how to play. My parents then decided to give me the opportunity to learn and I’ve been playing since the age of 6.
2. Who is your role model and why?
   My role model is Wayne Gretzky, not only because he is a great hockey player, but his famous philosophy, “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” In a musical sense, I like to reflect on this quote before my performances as it makes me less nervous and reassures me. It calms my nerves because it reminds me that when I perform, I will definitely get more than 0% of my desired success. In the bigger picture, I always tell myself this when making decisions. Thanks to this quote, it has turned me into a more decisive and ambitious person.
3. What motivates you to continue to learn this art form?
   My parents motivate me to continue to play piano with their constant words of support. My favourite quote from them is “do your best.” Though it is quite cliché, it relaxes me as there is not really a required standard for me, just that I try my hardest. Also, they remind me of the hardships they endured back in their hometown and how much they sacrificed to get me here. This has inspired me since my childhood to work even harder to make them proud.
4. How does winning this scholarship help you achieve your goals?
   During my first year at Place des Arts, I had the opportunity to work with Terrence Dawson in his masterclass. Not only did I learn a lot from his tips and tricks for my piece, I observed the way he taught other students – gentle and concise. This is especially important because I started teaching at Place des Arts and having a diverse teaching style is very useful. Winning this scholarship will help me participate in more exhibitions and festivals, as well as continue to work towards my ARCT diploma.
5. How has your teacher helped you achieve your goals?
   Marjory has guided me through every step of the way during my time at Place des Arts. Even when the pandemic struck, Marjory has done an exceptional job organizing a whole new system to resume my art education. From rhythm videos to practice performance videos to live YouTube recitals, these new methods of performing and practicing have helped my grade 10 exam be much more successful.
6. Tell us your favourite memory of Place des Arts.
   My favourite memory of Place des Arts was around 6 years ago when I attended summer camp. I did animations and I got the opportunity to make my own video clip using clay. I remember dropping my clay figure on the ground and crying because of it. When I think back to it, I find it very funny how the little things made me so mad.
7. How has studying at Place des Arts inspired you?
   Place des Arts has inspired me by offering frequent recitals so I can perform regularly and being a space where I can learn lessons to become a better musician. They create goals for me. Moreover, when something does not go well during the recital, I know exactly what needs to be done to fix it and this is exactly the type of inspiration that keeps me practicing.
   Place des Arts has also taught me to be perseverant. I’m aware I have mentioned this before, but the emphasis is well-deserved. The perseverance Place des Arts demonstrated during the pandemic to maintain quality arts education while putting the safety of the community first. This was certainly not an easy feat. Hard work is always essential and it is something I’ve been moving towards.
8. Describe how you feel when you come to Place des Arts.
   When I go to Place des Arts, it feels like a very safe place dedicated to music. It is relatively quiet with the faint sound of the piano. Also, there is some wonderful art scattered around the entire building, which calms me down for my piano lesson, especially if I had a basketball or hockey game beforehand. Simply walking in is all the preparation I need to focus on music for the next hour.
9. How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted your arts education?
   Thankfully, the pandemic did not drastically impact my education thanks to the swift transition by Marjory, who made the virtual lessons seem as if they were in person. At first, the technological side was slightly challenging because I didn’t have much experience with Zoom. However, in a week or so, I got the hang of it and it has been smooth sailing ever since. One thing I improved on thanks to online lessons was punctuality. With the way the new recitals are set up, performance videos must be submitted by a certain time, or they wouldn’t be in the recital. Consistently working towards deadlines has helped my productivity immensely, particularly during quarantine when motivation was quite weak.