YING.

When I was seven, my parents enrolled me into piano lessons and I kept it up for another seven years. Of course, during that time, it wasn’t exactly the ideal activity to be doing as a kid. I would have rather been drawing, doing jumping jacks, hand stands, cart wheels, playing PlayStation; pretty much anything but pounding on those black and white keys. 

Now come to think of it, besides the fact that it was an addition to my book of talents, I also learnt an important lesson from my last piano teacher. 

I forgot her name but let’s just call her Ying cause I have a feeling it strikes a close second. 

Ying would drill me for my piano exams and push me to perform every month for my music academy. I always thought the notion was lame cause more than half the students there were prissy and straight-edged, which wasn’t something I was accustomed to becoming. 

After much reluctance, she finally convinced me to do it. We practiced the piece 40 times over until it became second nature to me. Before I knew what I was playing, my fingers were doing all the talking. 

The final day before the performance, I kept on screwing up. I was so frustrated with myself because I was a perfectionist. Every time I missed a note, I would start the whole 3 minute piece again. Ying saw my frustration and stopped me. 

She asked me what was the problem. I simply told her it was because I wanted to do my very best. 

It was at that precise moment that she threw the line at me. The line that has going stuck with me till this very day. 

“My dear, when you’re on stage, you are on. You only get to do it once. And if you only get to do it once, why not do it your best?” 

Today, I had my singing audition at TVB. I stepped into the studio and thought to myself that “This is it.”

I gave it my all, I did my very best despite the obstacles. And all I can hope for is to perform again for them in the near future.