My name is Rayla Jiang, and I have been playing the piano for 8 years. Over time, I have built a strong passion for music and a deep commitment to improving my skills. I often practice not only during assigned times but also for fun, because piano is truly my favorite activity and the only instrument I play. One of my strongest abilities as a pianist is memorization. I am able to learn and retain pieces quickly, which allows me to focus more on expression and performance. I also enjoy recognizing patterns within music, as this is one of the easiest and most interesting parts of learning new pieces for me. Pattern work helps me understand the structure of music and improve my accuracy. Within my first 1–2 years of learning piano, I was already playing pieces by Mozart and “Für Elise,” which helped build my technical foundation early on. Since then, I have continued to challenge myself with more advanced music. Piano has taught me discipline, patience, and confidence, and it remains my absolute favorite form of musical expression. I am proud of my growth and excited to continue developing my abilities through this competition.