I started piano when I was five years old, and I wasn’t doing it out of interest – my parents had signed me up for classes. I had done a few performances, with phases of interest and boredom relating to the art, and I even played at the Rock and Roll hall of fame. While I didn’t hate it, I didn’t find it interesting for the most part, and as a result I almost never went beyond the simple songs that were in my books. That was, until I, on a whim, looking up what the most difficult piano pieces were, heard what is perhaps one of the most famous piano solos written, Franz Liszt’s La Campanella. That piece was what really got me into piano. There was a certain sort of – for lack of a better word- vibe, that the song had, and the thought of being able to learn that piece and play it motivated me. As I learned piano, I understood that it’s not just about surprising people with your pure skill, but also being passionate about playing the pieces and to be committed to the art. While I am not close to achieving my goal of being able to play La Campanella, I have made huge progress since I started.
Watch Ishaan Vutla perform Nocturne No. 21 in C Minor by Frederic Chopin on the piano for the 2025 Autumn Music Competition as part of the Charleston International Music Competition.