Sometimes when I play the piano, I like to imagine what the music sounded like hundreds of years ago on the instruments composers originally used.
My name is Nathan Da Graca, and I have been learning piano for about two years. I enjoy discovering new music and learning how different composers wrote their pieces. One of my biggest interests is historical keyboard instruments, such as the harpsichord and early pianos like the fortepiano. I find them fascinating because their sound and design reflect the time period when they were used.
My interest in classical music and historical instruments grew when I first came across a fortepiano and became curious about how it worked. That curiosity led me to research historical keyboards, the people who invented them, and the composers who wrote music for them. Learning about these instruments and listening to their music has helped me understand piano in a new way, and I have even had the chance to try playing some of them.
Last year my family took a trip to Brussels, Belgium, and we happened to visit the Musical Instruments Museum. The museum has hundreds of instruments, including many harpsichords and early pianos, and I spent almost the whole day exploring them. Experiences like this make learning piano even more meaningful to me. When I learn a new piece, I enjoy researching the composer and the historical background of the music. Learning about the history behind the music helps me connect more with the pieces I play, and I hope to continue exploring different styles and learning more about the traditions of keyboard music.