I almost didn't post this

Published about 1 month ago • 1 min read

Hi there,

I debated whether to share this video at all. The camera is shaky. The orchestra isn’t great. But I’m so proud of the piano playing—and in the end, that’s what mattered most.

This is my live performance of Rhapsody in Blue.

I first learned the piece when I was 12 for a local piano competition (which I didn’t win!). But I still remember the bright blue skirt I made myself—and how I completely fell in love with the music.

For this performance, I studied Gershwin’s own piano roll version closely to shape what I was doing—especially in the repeated note section, where I tried something rhythmically that most people don’t. It’s one of my favorite parts. It's at 14:32 in the video.

I also spent a massive amount of time working on getting a sound loud enough to be heard over the orchestra in the last 4 measures of the piece.

Even with its imperfections, this was one of the most joyful musical experiences of my life. I wasn’t nervous at all—just totally immersed in the music.

🎧 Watch the full performance here:

Warmly,

Rebecca

p.s. Inside my online piano community, we're working on how to bring this kind of emotion and freedom into your own playing. If that’s something you’ve been craving, I’d love to have you join us.
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