Hello judges, my name is Kexin Cui but I like to go by Joy. I am 13 years old and started playing piano when I was five. Since the day my parents brought me to a piano concert that fateful day many years ago, I have dreamed of becoming a piano teacher. That dream has not changed, even after so many years. When I first began learning the piano, my parents bought me an electric piano, thinking I would not maintain this hobby longer than a couple months like many other kids my age. To their amazement, I continued to enjoy playing piano, and after just a couple months, they got me an actual piano. I still remember the day I received it as a gift like it was yesterday. My parents had picked me up from pre-school and said they had a surprise for me. At the time, I thought that it would be a piece of chocolate or a sweet treat of the like. When I stepped into the house and looked towards the dinner table where they usually put my surprises, I saw an empty table. My parents saw my baffled expression, they laughed and led me to the living room where I saw my first actual piano. I was ecstatic. I knew from that day on I would always work hard to realize my dream of becoming a piano teacher. While there were many challenges I encountered on my path to where I am now, I persevered. And as Robert Frost said in his poem “The Road Not Taken”, “and that has made all the difference.” I will continue to persevere through any challenges that may arise and overcome them. As of now, I am ABRSM Level 8 and still learning. Between practicing my pieces, I heard about this competition and decided to try my luck. I knew that my chances of placing were slim, but I wanted exposure to more experiences, so I decided to enter. This is why I’m sitting here writing this autobiography. I hope you enjoy my playing. Thank you for your time.
Watch Kexin Cui perform Jingo by Christopher Norton and Fantasy in A Minor by Mary Leaf on the piano for the 2025 Spring Music Competition as part of the Charleston International Music Competition.