Bringing People Together, One Chord at a Time
Bringing people together, one chord at a time -- Senior Elizabeth Taylor shares her love of piano
At ten years old, Elizabeth Taylor approached the piano bench with shaking hands. Not only was she performing for the school talent show, but this had been the first time she had performed for her school friends at all. All of the nerves, however, started to fade as Taylor pressed the first key. Soon enough, the notes came as naturally to her as breathing.
As a third generation piano player and teacher, Taylor -- now a senior -- has spent significant parts of her time reading off of sheet music and bolstering her abilities.
“A professional pianist has a goal in mind; they are always practicing for their next big concert/performance in which employers will hear them play. A casual pianist grabs pieces that they want to play and are primarily cover songs or simply enjoyable ones,” she said. “I would define myself as somewhere in between a professional and a casual one because I am constantly grabbing sheet music that is slightly too hard for me to play, which causes me to get better every single day. With that being said, I always end practice with a piece that I really enjoy playing so that, even if I was frustrated with my performance, I could still remember why I loved piano.,”
This desire to grow and become better all started when Taylor’s mom taught her how to play for the first time at just three years old. With so many years of practice under her belt, Taylor doesn’t just see the piano as an instrument, but as something not unlike an old friend.
“Piano allows me to relax,” she said. “Whenever I am feeling especially anxious, I sit at the piano, find a starting note, and close my eyes. From there, I simply play whatever I am feeling. After over 14 years of playing piano, I have learned numerous patterns and chords that, combined with random combinations of other notes, allow me to create a piece of music on the spot. The feeling of piano keys is similar to a treasured stuffed animal that kids clutch onto. There is just a sense of calmness there.”
Sentimentality can be a musician’s best friend: it allows one to be grounded in the moment, as remembering a sweet memory can keep one from faltering under pressure. And, as there is sentimental value in objects, there is also sentimental value in specific songs or genres of music. Taylor’s song preferences, when it comes to playing piano, can be a bit broad, allowing her to further her musical abilities even more than she has.
“I love to play every single genre of music because everyone enjoys hearing something different. There is also something new to learn in every single genre,” Taylor explained. “When I practice classical pieces, I can improve my scales and finger agility. When I practice jazz pieces, I can improve my musicality and learn to pick up on rhythms quicker.”
Having played so many different genres and styles, one would be surprised to find that Taylor has not competed in any competitions. Not one to brag, Taylor doesn’t often bring up her piano playing abilities, though this has changed recently with the new school year.
“Piano is something that takes place outside of school, so it is very disconnected from the rest of my life,” she said. “Recently, however, I have joined Orchestra and Jazz Band, so I get to touch a piano every single day. My skills have rapidly improved over the past few months and I feel like I am finally at my peak again, so I can talk about it.” Taylor’s talents are the result of her hard work and dedication to her instrument. She doesn’t play piano just for the sake of impressing others, but to bring joy to those who need it.
She added, “Piano contributes to our culture by reminding us that all sounds can be emulated by a key; and when they are put together, they can create music that brings people together.”
Story by Joey Dickinson