Many of you may have already seen from my Twitter and Facebook update the news - but here is my official blog announcement........ I won the SFCM Piano Concerto Competion!!!!!!! Yes, it's true! I really won!
I will tell you the story. Last night (Friday) was the night of the competition. There were four finalists playing (two of them are friends of mine, and one of them was a girl I didn't know). They programmed us in alphabetical order of our last names, which ended up meaning that I played last on the program. Since the concert started at seven thirty, I ended up playing at or a little after nine pm. There was an audience of five or six hundred people there! It was very nice to have a large audience; it made it feel more like I was performing instead of just competing. When I started my concerto I was really nervous and my hands were shaking - but it got better as I went along. The second and third movements of the concerto went especially well. One of my friends afterward told me that my second movement made her cry, and that it seemed like I was singing (I have to tell my teacher Paul that, because he is always trying to get me to play the piano more like I sing!!). Right after my performance, as I walked off-stage, Erica Johnson (the SFCM registrar) and the stage-hand congratulated me for my performance. I said "thanks" and went back to the green room to be alone, and sat down on the couch to call my mom. I called her and of course her first question was, "How did it go?" I told her I thought it was good overall...but I wasn't sure...and now I just have to wait and see. I talked to her for a few minutes, and was in the middle of responding to a text from my friend Dhivya, when Erica came into the green room and said, "Congratulations!"
"Thanks," I said.
"No -" she said, "You won!"
"What?" I said.
"You won!"
"Wait, are you serious?" I said.
"Yes."
"
Are you serious!?!?!?" - I think I almost shreaked.
"Yes, I just wanted to tell you before I go and make the announcement."
"Oh my gosh, are you serious? What do I do? What do I have to do?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing? Where do I go? Do I have to do something?"
"No, you don't have to do anything. Congratulations!"
I think I might have said "oh my gosh, are you serious?" a few more times before I stood up and walked aimlessly around the room and backstage, until finally Erica left and went onstage to make the announcement. I went back to the green room to call my mom again... and the conversation went something like:
"Mom.... I won!"
"You did? Oh my goodness! That's wonderful!"
"Yeah - I'm so happy. I can hardly believe it."
"That's so great. That's so exciting."
"Yeah... I think I'm gonna go now." (I think I was still sort of in shock at this point and didn't know what to do with myself).
"Okay you can go and can call me later."
"Okay bye."
After that I wandered around a little more, and was greeted by many people in the audience, and a number of my friends congratulating me, until my friend Tia found me (a singer who sits by me in my Italian class), and asked me if I want to go and celebrate. I definitely did... So we went and got crepes afterward for a wonderful celebratory evening. Before we left though I made sure to make a few more phone calls - to Dorothea (my piano teacher back in Montana), to Paul (who was off giving a performance of the Beethoven 5th Concerto with another orchestra this weekend), and to Dennis (my voice teacher in L.A.). I also called Jane today. Such happy news is so nice to share!!!
Paul said something really nice to me when I told him I won - he said "Well congratulations - I didn't hear the competition so I can't really make a comment about it. But I know how well you have been playing the Ravel - and I can't imagine anyone playing it more beautifully. I'm very happy for you." That made me feel so good. :-)
After the dinner with Tia and her boyfriend I went home to my little dorm... I didn't try to go to bed until one or two in the morning, but I was still sooo happy and excited that I couldn't sleep at all!! I laid in my bed until five in the morning, until finally I decided to get up and take a hot shower. I thought maybe it would help relax me. I think it did - because afterwards I came back to bed and I didn't wake up until noon today. :-) So tired... But so happy!
In addition to
my happy news - my sister also had her own very happy news this week! On March 2nd she gave birth to a beautiful baby! Here is a picture of the beautiful little girl:
Isn't she perfect? This is baby "Clara." She looks so sweet. I am so happy for my sister.
What a wonderful week. I can hardly stop smiling. :-D
