I am a freshman at Yale University planning to major in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Ever since the age of 5, I have loved practicing and performing piano. Exploring the beauty and magic of music was what originally enticed me to play the piano. Now, having played pieces written by all-time-greats including Chopin, Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, and Debussy, I know that beginning piano at the age of 5 was the right decision - but that there is still so much more to explore.

My sister, Aparna, initially introduced me to the fundamentals of piano. I continued learning piano under the tutelage of Mrs. Marina Kreslin who guided me in the right direction, introducing me to many new pieces, composers, and concepts of music theory. In the summer before 9th grade, I was very fortunate to have been accepted into Mrs. Clarfield's music studio. Under her teaching, I was able to broaden my understanding of music by learning how to practice more effectively and perform with confidence. With Mrs. Clarfield I have competed in many competitions with fruitful results, including 1st place in the NJMTA fall audition, first place in Crescendo Festival, Grand Prix in Music Fest, third place in the Steinway Society Competition, High Honors in NJMTA's spring audition, several performances in Carnegie Hall, as well as participating in the Children Helping Children Performathon event, helping to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House each year.

I truly am so fortunate to have been a part of Mrs. Clarfield's studio for four years. In that time, I have grown immensely as a pianist, a musician, and a person in general. In those years, I somehow grew more disciplined, more competitive, and more able to enjoy music at the same time. At Yale, I am still trying to figure out how to explore music further, but I find myself returning to a piano whenever I feel stressed out.

-- Anand