Age: 9

1. When and how did you get started practicing your art form?
   I discovered music at age 5 through Franz Music Wonderland in Shanghai. Their Early Music class was pure joy: we hammered xylophones, turned pink-cheeked from recorder blowing, and made the floor tremble with a giant bass. When we formed mini-bands, I chose piano because its keys looked like a grinning skeleton’s teeth. But the real magic came when I created music together with my friends on stage – like learning musical spells that actually worked! When I moved to Canada at age 7, I was incredibly fortunate to discover Place des Arts’ Musical Rainbow program. Completing both the Blue and Purple levels, I discovered that music isn’t just notes and scales – it’s pure joy brought to life. Mr. I had this magical way of making every lesson feel like playtime, where learning became as natural as laughter.
2. How does winning this scholarship help you achieve your goals?
   Winning the Junior Place Des Arts Scholarship is an incredible honor and a huge encouragement in my musical journey, reinforcing my passion and dedication to the piano. Music has gifted me joy and friendship, taught me the power of expression and the beauty of the shared emotion, it’s not just notes but connection. Winning this scholarship motivates me to keep practicing diligently and striving to improve. Hope one day I can inspire others on bigger stage by playing music, just as music inspired me.
3. How has your teacher helped you achieve your goals?
   My piano journey began in September 2024 in Place des Arts with Ms Christina, and from the very first trial lesson, her passion was utterly captivating. Her fingers danced across the keys with what could only be described as magic. But what truly sets her apart is how she teaches: with equal measures of patience and infectious enthusiasm. Ms. Christina goes beyond simply teaching technique. She guides me to understand, contemplate, and feel every piece. Under her mentorship, music has become not just practice, but a meaningful dialogue between composer and performer. With her thoughtful guidance, we’ve established clear learning goals, and she’s been instrumental in preparing me for RCM examinations and applying for this scholarship. Her belief in my potential constantly inspires me to grow.
   
4. Share a story about your time at Place des Arts. It can be about an inspiring moment, an impactful relationship or your fondest memory.
   I’ll always remember that golden afternoon in spring 2023. Midway through class, Mr. I surprised us: “Grab your recorders—we’re going outside!” There on the sunlit lawn, we lined up with our recorders while he strummed his guitar. Warm sunlight draped over us as we played, and suddenly, the notes transcended mere melody—they became a living connection between us, the music, and the shimmering world around us. In that radiant moment, I understood how music breathes life into everything it touches.
   
5. Who is your role model and why?
   My mother is my role model. She once shared with me how learning music was a luxury in her childhood—her parents spent a month’s salary to buy her an accordion, as a piano remained an impossible dream. Though she carried this unfulfilled wish for decades, she never let it dim her love for music.Now, as I study piano with Ms. Christina at Place des Arts, I witness something extraordinary: my mother, starting from scratch with sheet music, diligently learns every piece I practice. Watching her lose herself at the keyboard, fingers tracing melodies she once thought beyond reach, I’ve learned music’s most profound lesson—it’s never too late to begin, and the journey itself is the reward. Her quiet determination has shown me that passion has no expiration date, and that some of life’s most beautiful songs are those we dare to play late, but with all our heart.