Well, a few weeks ago I found out that I wasn't chosen to compete in the final auditions to play in the Salute to Youth concert with the Utah Symphony. That is okay though. I am plugging forward and gearing up for the Utah Valley Symphony auditions and MTNA. The UVS auditions are next weekend and I am going to use the Gershwin Concerto. I have only competed in it once a few years ago but I made the finals so I am hoping that it will go well this year. MTNA is in October so I am starting to work hard on my pieces. I have a feeling it is going to be a good year!

This next week I am going to the Utah State Piano Clinic. It will be my third year going and I am very excited! I get to perform Concerto in F by Gershwin in the Cool Classics Rising Stars Concert. It is a very neat opportunity that I have been able to participate in for three years now. During piano camp, we have classes that we take each day. The classes are master classes, theory, keyboard skills, piano literature, lecture classes, etc. It is amazing how much they pack into you in one week! I can't wait to go! I am able to improve my piano knowledge and skills and I get to have a great time with friends!

I just did my recording this past Thursday to send in to the Utah Symphony! I went up to Logan and recorded in my teacher's office. The recording process went really well. I didn't feel very nervous which helped me to play a lot better. I was able to get the recording that I wanted on the second try. Now all I have to do is send it in! I can't wait!

Well, right now I am gearing up for my Salute to Youth recording! What I do is I send in a CD of my concerto and then the Utah Symphony chooses about three kids from each division to come and do a live audition with them. They then choose the finalists who will perform with the Utah Symphony at the end of September! I am very excited! I am auditioning with the first movement of Concerto in F by Gershwin. I am hoping this is my year! I love this concerto more than any other concerto I have done and I want to perform it with the Utah Symphony. I am recording the first week of July. I am a little nervous but mostly excited because I know that I can do it!

Since I last posted nothing much has changed. I am now working on a Mozart Sonata and I am continuing to work on my Gershwin concerto to get it ready for Salute to Youth auditions which begin in July. This past week I kind of took a break from piano as I prepared for school finals and such, but I will be getting back into practicing tomorrow. I definitely can't wait for summer!

Yesterday was the best day ever!! It was the Utah State Piano Festival. My mom and I left at about 7:15am to go to Logan and we spent literally all day up there! I competed in 3 divisions: Baroque/Classical, Concerto, and Impressionistic.  I placed 2nd in the Baroque/Classical and Impressionistic divisions and placed 3rd in the Concerto division. It was definitely very exciting for me! Not only am I excited that I placed but I am also excited that I feel like I played my very best and I enjoyed performing. A lot of times during competitions I just can't wait for them to be over. But yesterday I really felt happy when I played. The happiness and joy overruled the nervous which really helped. Again thanks for everyone's support! I especially want to thank my parents for driving me to Logan each week and using their time to help me pursue my dream!

Well, it has been a bit rough the past few weeks. I have been having a few health issues and so it has made it difficult to get my practicing done. But I am getting back into practicing now and am plugging forward to my next competition. My next competition is in the middle of April up at Utah State University. I will be entering three songs in three different divisions. This is one of my favorite competitions to do! It is kind of like I am at home at this competition because Utah State is where I study piano so I usually feel pretty comfortable. I am going up to Logan almost every week for the next month to prepare. I want to be really prepared for this competition!