Vancouver Piano Sessions 2023

A quiet building in a busy street

A silent room with a padded door

A piano, music stands, chairs, and dangling lights

I sit on the piano bench, heart pounding, watching the minutes tick by

The ping of a notification startles me,

Makes my heart beat faster,

Because it was time to face the bright lights, the audience, the cameras.

I stand in the hallway

The nine of us are in a line,

Fidgeting with uncomfortable clothing,

Fingers moving subconsciously to the notes we’ve practiced for months.

Someone speaks, someone laughs.

And suddenly, we’re talking like old friends.

Under the dim light, hearing the audience’s muffled noises behind a door, the announcer’s excited voice - yet we’re calm together.

We’re in this together.

A week of nerves, stress, tears, sweat - it had passed

And I find myself wishing it had been longer.