2011 MTNA Nationals
CHRISTINA LEE
My first experience with piano was at Yamaha Music School, where I learned learned basic pieces in a class with 10 other students. After studying with three more private teachers and moving across the US from California to New Jersey, I finally began studying with Dr. Lam at the age of 12. Although by most standards I was too deeply entrenched in my bad posture and poor musicianship, Dr. Lam patiently retaught me the basics. Under her kind direction, I learned technique and musical phrasing, but most importantly, how to be a confident pianist. She gave me a new appreciation for the piano when she introduced me to duets, and the crowning jewel in my career as a pianist was placing first at state and regionals, and third at nationals in the Music Teachers National Association Senior Piano Duet Competition. Although I no longer take piano lessons, I find it very soothing to be able to sit down and leisurely play pieces that I enjoy. Studying piano with Dr. Lam has shown me that even the most difficult challenges can be overcome by hard work and perseverance. I am truly thankful to her for giving me the gift of music, something that I can now share with those around me. I am certain that my academic successes are also a result of the discipline and dedication that piano taught me. I am currently pursuing an Economics and English double major and a Statistics minor at Duke University, and I am interested in one day becoming a lawyer. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, painting, hiking, running, and of course, picking up a new piece on the piano.