The overwhelming majority of music I've listened to in the past 8 months traveling have been songs with a strong emphasis on piano. Specifically from Ludovico Einaudi, Emanuele Fasano, Jon Hopkins, and Nils Frahm. The directness of their music to connect to the emotional fountain of my soul is unparalleled. Music that taps into feelings of joy, loneliness, ecstasies, and frustrations. Music that is the perfect soundtrack that makes me feel like I'm living a Hollywood movie moment.
So when I heard my first live piano in half a year one night in March at a cozy hostel in Vietnam, that triggered the strongest urge to start learning how to play piano. The most compelled I've felt to do anything in the past year. And the stars aligned when I was in Amsterdam a few weeks ago and went to the piano recital for Carel (my first Dutch travel buddy from Myanmar last November - coming wayyy full circle here!). A slight nudge, a chance meeting, and a couple emails later, his teacher taught me 6 lessons back to back over the course of the next week. And I've been completely hooked ever since!
A few observations from the past few weeks' journey into piano wonderland:
1. Storytelling through classical/ instrumental music is powerful. At my first lesson, my teacher taught me her interpretation of the Bach prelude I was learning -- a story with characters, a plot, trials and tribulations to overcome. All infused with feelings. Painting this emotional narrative was a total game changer for me. Instead of memorizing and playing notes on a page, I was now telling a story, embodying feelings, and expressing emotions through my fingers. Which has an organic byproduct of a way easier time memorizing notes. This mental shift to storytelling vs playing also adds depth which makes learning a hellavu lot more exciting and innately engaging, something I never quite felt playing violin for 15 years when I was younger. Songs are stories. And a well told story builds connection on many different levels.
2. The elusive flow state. Learning/practicing piano has been the closest thing I've experienced in a long time that consistently puts me in flow. Fully absorbed in the present moment. Where hours fly by in a finger snap. Where I forget about myself and everything preoccupying my headspace. And even more so than yoga and meditation for me (which was a surprise). Intense concentration on finger placement, notes, and conveying feelings and a story pretty much uses all my mental and emotional bandwidth. But in the most pleasantly delightful way that is energy giving.
3. There doesn't need to be a logical reason for doing everything in your life. Don't ignore the things you're drawn to or curious about that may be impractical or seem disconnected from other areas in your life. Just doing something for no other reason than that it peaks your curiosity, feels good at the soul level, and makes you happy is good enough. Learning piano isn't the most compatible or practical hobby to have with traveling. I have no idea how I'll keep practicing while on the road. It's also likely not part of some larger career goal I have. But I do know that playing brings me immense joy and makes me feel alive. And that's a good enough reason in and of itself.
And then there's that moment when you're walking around a botanical garden in the romantic city of Lucca, Italy and a grand piano magically appears out of nowhere... 😍