The Keys to Piano Mastery

The Keys to Piano Mastery
Jul 25, 2017
Nexus learner Andrew Kuik Jie En was seven years old when he heard his sister played the piano for the first time. Drawn by the graceful notes and captivating harmony, his choice for the piano over other musical instruments was as earnest as his personality. “The tone of the piano is not very high pitch or low pitch compared to other instruments. I really like the sound of it,” smiled Andrew.

Nexus International School Malaysia is proud to highlight Andrew’s upcoming piano recital at the Bentley Music Academy this September. At the tender age of 12, Andrew will be commanding the stage solo for the first time. He beamed from ear to ear when he described the moment the invitation hit the mail. “Well, I was very surprised and happy. It means a lot to have my own recital and I’m feeling excited”.

The upcoming piano recital will illustrate Andrew’s musical mastery as he takes on eight piano pieces from famous composers ranging from Johann Sebastian Bach to Chopin. “Ranging from baroque to classic, I picked those eight piano pieces because these are my personal favourites. I hope that the audience will enjoy it,” he shared.

For this ambitious piano recital, Andrew steps forward with a personal wish to channel 50% of the ticketing proceeds to SJKC Shing Cheng Harcroft and the National Autism Society of Malaysia (NASOM). Contributing a baby grand piano for his former Chinese alma mater will mean the world to him as the school’s current piano is beyond repair.

His contribution to NASOM also stems from another classroom experience. “Recently, Nexus has taught us about autism. For drama, I read excerpts of a play called ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time’ and that helped me to understand autism better. With this charity concert, it would be great to help them within my ability,” chorused Andrew.

When his fingers aren’t dancing on the black and white keys, Andrew explores other personal pastimes. “I like reading fiction books. My favourites are Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, and Eragon series. Apart from that, I also like playing Minecraft, hiking with my family and watching Youtube,” Andrew shared.

The best life lessons emerge in many forms. For Andrew, playing the piano has taught him three essential things. “Patience and discipline are important to achieve whatever you’re doing. Setting goals for yourself are also great. When you finish your first goal, challenge yourself by setting another goal,” Andrew echoed.

When it comes to the golden rule for excelling in the things we do, Andrew believes in following one’s passion. “It plays an important ingredient in whatever we do,” he shared before he encourages further. “Be daring sometimes and set goals for yourself even further. It can be big or small. Some might even think it’s near impossible but who knows it might come true”.

Nexus International School learner and pianist Andrew Kuik Jie En will be performing a piano recital at the Bentley Music Academy on 2 September 2017. For ticketing details, visit Bentley Music Academy Malaysia via their website.

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