The music department at Fullerton College hosted a piano recital for all students in the Applied Piano course on Tuesday, May 16.
The event consisted of music majors and the Certificate of Piano Teaching students. Each of ten students played a prepared piece for the audience.
The students practiced about eight hours a week, including a one hour class session and one hour lesson per week. They are asked to play for each other and their teacher as part of their required commitment.
One of the performers, Ju Eun, has been playing piano since middle school.
“I’ve played the piano since I was in sixth grade,” Eun said. “I learned through a company at church and taught myself. I started having lessons three years ago and it was my first time trying classical music.”
Natalie Lo, another student in the applied piano program, has taken the class three times and has become more confident in her skills with the instrument each semester.
“This is my third semester for the applied program,” Lo said. “First semester I was nervous because I don’t really have a chance to perform in front of others. The professors helped me a lot through the semester and tried to push me to practice and to know more about the piece. The class makes friends who support and encourage you, which helps me a lot through the semester.”
A concert attendee, Donald Sung, graciously praised and thanked the students for their performances. However, Wayne Yang, a student with a disability, emotionally captivated him.
“It’s wonderful to see everybody perform well,” Sung said. “I felt trembled and moved by Wayne Yang’s performance. I gave him a standing ovation. His performance was so professional and more importantly his expression moved me to tears.”
Sung mentioned how the pieces may not be as difficult or detailed for Yang, but the amount of emotion in his playing is breathtaking.
Sung is a current student at Fullerton College and took the Applied Piano course for a total of four semesters, a year ago being his last one. He is proud to attend these recitals in respect of his former teachers and to witness new talent every semester.
“This class taught us one thing,” Sung said. “It isn’t how difficult the piece is, it’s how well you perform it. The same applies to every class at Fullerton College.”
