It was just a plain door. It didn’t hint at what was behind it. The only part that could have was the small square pane of glass, and that was covered. I was standing in line with other contestants, waiting to be led into the hall. Our eyes darted nervously around, trying to look unconcerned. Then the door was opened and we were told to go in.

I have been here before, even just earlier today, but as I stepped on the threshold, I couldn’t help but take a sharp breath. It was a different world on the other side of the door. Before me was the hall-I’m-going-to-play-in. It was a small concert hall. It was a Steinway concert hall. I saw the reddish carpet on the floor, and the chairs that filled half the hall. I saw the adjudicator’s table. I saw the words “Steinway & Sons” on the wall behind the stage. But it was the concert grand on the stage that captured my eyes. The massive black piano, standing there so proudly, looked huge on the small wooden platform. The show of the whole concert hall. And it was calling. To me. And it was ready. For me. And it was waiting.

This was a Steinway hall, and that is saying a lot to me. I thought back to the day... when my life had changed... because I watched a video of a concert pianist playing on a Steinway piano. And maybe this concert grand in front of me was the brother or sister of that one, and I was going to actually play on it! Later I also learned that he was a Steinway artist. To me that was a mark of excellence in pianism, and from thence forth, I also wanted to become a Steinway artist.

But then I remembered that it wasn't the piano that got me interested in becoming a pianist. Rather, it was the pianist himself, and the piece he played. I thought back to that day. Through the video, I saw what it really means to play the piano. I saw what a pianist can do. I saw how a piece can be brought to live. And I determined that I too, will do that. From that day on, I dreamed of being a concert pianist. I want to bring classical music into the lives of people.

I didn't just dream though. I started practicing with a purpose. I searched for universities who offer degrees in piano performance. In a way, that is why I was there at the Steinway hall. Here at the competition was a chance to practice performing, to practice telling your piece to the audience. It was also a chance to see how well you can play under stress. I had already competed twice today, and yet the first place award had kept out of reach. This was my last class, and I knew that the piece that I was going to play for this class was my best piece. I had worked so hard, will my best would be good enough?

The Steinway grand seemed to say yes. Come. Show them what I can do. Show them that I’m not just grand-looking. Show them my real self. Let them hear my voice. Let them hear my majesty.

Now the first contestant was playing. I am sorry to say that I didn't really listen to her playing. I was nervous, though I hate to admit it, so I thought about other things to try to lessen the nervousness. I noticed the portraits of great composers on the side walls of the hall. On the left wall I saw Bach, and Beethoven. I took a short peek up my side on the right wall, and saw Chopin. And I thought, where was Liszt? I was going to play a piece he wrote. I looked discreetly back, and there his portrait was.

The portraits brought out the magical side of the hall. It was just a small hall, but I felt the grandness. Here numerous other musicians had performed, and it was as if a part of them were all here, somehow like history was here. The hall wasn't a prestigious hall or anything, but perhaps it was special because it wasn't large and prestigious. And interestingly it felt like how one might feel walking in an old castle, you think of times past.

The first contestant finished playing, and it was almost my turn! Then the adjudicator said, "Let's welcome our next performer, playing Liszt's Consolation No. 3!" I stood and walked up the three steps to the stage. The concert grand somehow looked a bit smaller yet larger than it did off-stage. How could that be? But that didn’t matter. It was calling.

I took a bow, and sat down. I thought of the piece I was going to play, how sad yet peaceful it was, so beautifully haunting with sadness. It wasn't the desperate yearning kind of sadness, it was the resigned and beautiful mourning kind of sadness.

The melody of the piece goes on and on, sometimes repeating, sometimes with passion, and sometimes with resignation. After the tranquil opening, and the instances of celestial sparkles, there is the climax, impassioned with… what? Is it yearning? Or is it desperation? Or is it something else? Right after the grand climax, the melody is a restatement of the main phrase, peaceful with suppressed agony. And then comes a peaceful and resigned ending, fading into oblivion. Like someone after a weeping.

At that point it didn't matter if I didn't get any placing in the competition. I had known this piece like a friend for a few months. And it was my privilege that day to show this piece to the audience, to tell them what Liszt might have wanted to say when he wrote this piece, and to tell them what this piece means to me. Amazingly, most of my nervousness left at that point. I wasn't playing anymore to win. I was going to play one of my favorite pieces on this Steinway concert grand, and that actually meant more than getting a first place award. And if I could touch some hearts with Liszt's beautiful music, that will be the world to me. As one who dreams of becoming a performer, I think that the ability to touch people is the beauty of performing classical music.

And so I took a deep breath, and poured my heart out.