While most students spent their spring break on vacation or hanging out with friends and family, one of our juniors, Uriel Choi, participated in the East Valley Music Teachers Association (EVMTA) piano competition. After a lengthy contest, Uriel was presented with a silver medal and a cash prize for his performance. To find out a little more about what the competition was like, I asked Uriel for a quick interview and he happily complied:

Q: What was the EVMTA like? 

A: EVMTA is the association that hosted the program. It consists of a bunch of music teachers across the valley. The competition is structured like a concert, except with judges. All competitors performed in front of the judges and the audience, including parents, other competitors, and teachers. After everyone performs, the judges have a discussion and then announce the winners. There were six different categories by age.

Q: How did you feel when you found out that you received a silver medal?

A: I felt shocked when I received the award, because I was not expecting to win, considering the other competitors all played longer and larger songs than me.

Q: How long did it take you to prep for the competition?

A: It took me about a year to prepare the pieces I played for this.

Q: How long have you been playing the piano? What prompted you to start?

A: I’ve been playing the piano for about ten years. I became greatly interested in the instrument after watching my sister play it for years, and that prompted me to start.

Q: Do you play any other instruments besides the piano? If so, which one is your favorite and why?

A:  I do play other instruments, including the violin, melodica, and a little bit of guitar. I think the piano is my favorite because it is very versatile and easily accessible.

Thank you so much to Uriel for taking the time to teach us a little about your wonderful accomplishment! Congratulations on your award; ACP wishes you the best in your future endeavors!