9 Songs and Pieces That Shaped My Musical Journey Thus Far

Writing Prompt Inspired By Pierce McIntyre with a small twist.

This was inspired by Pierce McIntyre’s writing prompt sometime ago.

I was so hyped when I first saw this, but was stuck. Now that I’ve got a few variations of my take on this prompt, I decided to first give it a small twist and publish this before I decide on the rest.

I figured it’ll probably be a nice introduction too, given that I recently got onboard to Plethora of Pop as an editor into this amazing community!

I’ve been studying to become a professional musician since 2017. I’ve learned and delved into popular music performance, music production, songwriting, arrangement and more during these 5 years of studies.

But I’m now a classical pianist in college. As you can see, it’s a series of twists and turns.

When I was about 7, I gained an interest in the piano. I can’t remember why. But we weren’t able to afford it, since lessons are expensive. I got a keyboard when I had good grades in school. I then bugged a friend (yes, I was an annoying, eager friend) to teach me piano on my little keyboard. After some persuasion, she taught me things like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and Mary Had A Little Lamb. Just one hand stuffs you could play on the piano.

Sorry friend, but I will always appreciate your help :)

But I wanted more. So when I was about 13, I started picking up the guitar and taught myself both the guitar and the piano. A few friends and I formed a band for a school music project, but we extended that into doing YouTube covers. (No one search for it! Cringing intensifies)

Anyway, this led me to first learn accompaniment on the piano from YouTube.

1. Adele’s Someone Like You

And

2. A Thousand Years by Christina Perri

I can’t remember which came first, but we covered these songs on the same crappy Casio keyboard I was given at 8-years-old. (note that it did not come with a sustain pedal, so you can probably imagine how shitty it sounded for the YouTube cover)

I can’t remember which YouTube videos I learned these from, as I’ve had the notes and chords written down on a piece of paper back then for easy referral. For music teachers teaching on YouTube, you guys will always be my heroes.

This was probably the ‘official’ start of my musical journey. Well, at least my actual, serious self-taught/music education journey. So I guess you could say that.

3. On guitar, my vocalist friend from the same band and I covered Just Give Me A Reason by P!nk ft Nate Ruess for another school performance.

I think it was for the school’s talent show.

I learned the intro by ear, and learned the chords from Guitar Jamz on YouTube (YouTube’s still my best friend and music teacher).

Thank you Marty Schwartz, my all-time favourite YouTube guitar teacher.

4. Pachebel’s Canon in D, my first ever classical piece

This was the first classical piece I learned on the piano at 14, before knowing this was classical music. Again, from YouTube.

I really loved this piece, not knowing how overplayed it was back then. It’s one that I could probably still play from memory today. I’ll try that out later.

I recall learning from this video below:

5. Chopin’s Grande Valse Brillante

Fast forward years later, this was the piece and composer that inspired me to become a virtuosic pianist. I listened most to Valentina Lisitsa for her performances of my favourite classical pieces.

For no particular reason that I could think of, I’ve been crazy infatuated with this piece since maybe 2018. I’ve always wanted to learn this since then, but it’s been too difficult for me. I tried learning it on and off, determined to tackle this, no matter how long it took.

This, along with other Chopin pieces, was the main inspiration for me to enrol on college to study classical music, which is where I am today. I’ll be starting my third and final year coming August. I started dreaming of playing this piece at my graduation recital sometime ago, and I’m super hyped to say that will be coming true next year! Currently working on it now.

It still scares me, but I’m committed to doing whatever I can. It just feels like a perfect round-off to graduate with the piece that inspired me to start my professional classical music journey in the first place. Also, my all-time #1 favourite classical piece.

6. Debussy Arabesque №1

7. Chopin Nocturne in C#m

I auditioned with these 2 (and one more Handel’s Fugue) for college. So, yes, it’s important to include these here too! These are some of the pieces that have been really fun for me to play and listen to. I really fell in love with Debussy’s music since Arabesque No 1.

8. First Jazz piece accompaniment: Autumn Leaves/Isn’t she lovely

When I was doing my diploma in music (with performance, production and all that jazz ;), we focused quite a bit on performing as a band. We mostly did popular, jazz, and other music genres that weren’t classical, genres I also enjoy playing a lot. Each genre provides a different joy and experience.

But if I did not recall wrongly, Isn’t She Lovely was the first-ever jazz accompaniment I’ve learned. It was so fun to learn this, even though jazz has been my favourite, it’s still somewhat new to me since it’s such a complex musical language. It was also through this song that I collaborated with a saxophone player for the first time! I remember being so mesmerised and fascinated — I’m playing a jazz piece with a saxophonist, wow. Of course, I was 17.

It’s a genre I’m looking to learn after I graduate from classical.

After some hunting, this was the video I learnt from! I feel like re-learning this now, it was so fun to play.

9. 20th century: Gershwin 3 Preludes

This is a recent favourite from my recent school recital. It’s not easy, but it’s been very fun to play and listen to!

Gonna check out more of Gershwin’s works.

I’m honestly not sure what else to include here in the list, hence just 9. But I recall learning so many more songs and pieces over the years that I can barely remember now.

But I recall my journey from getting a friend to teach when I was 8, then self-taught off YouTube to learn how to play, and Google for music theory at 13. Since the age of 16, I worked hard to take private lessons as I enrolled on music programmes in the following year, till today at 22.

The first diploma programme I enrolled in 2017 was kinda by chance and score placement (due to Singapore’s school education system). But the second and current programme at the Bachelor’s degree level is fully by choice, one that I still consciously choose every single day. If nothing goes wrong, I’ll be graduating in May of 2023 playing the dream piece above in number 5! (funny how that’s my favourite number too, everything lined up perfectly)

It’s been a struggle to specialise as a classical musician at the college level, especially when everyone around me has had a head start since they were probably 5 or 7. Classical musicians, at least the ones that I know of at college, have been really niched down to just classical almost their whole lives.

It’s also been hard to battle with this feeling of inadequacy and imposter syndrome as I learn in such an environment. I’m super lucky for having very supportive friends (musicians and non-musicians), but it’s still a feeling I struggle to shake off at times.

But I’m not just a classical musician. I love exploring and playing other genres too.

Not sure if this has been done, but let me know.

What are some songs/pieces that define your musical journey, or musical tastes?

If you love all things music, I publish thoughts, projects I’m working on, practice, teaching, and more on my Substack publication. Stay in touch, you might just find what you enjoy here, and in future! :)

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