This month, we’re excited to feature piano student Sam Goad!
Sam is currently finishing up his sophomore year at Colorado Early Colleges in Fort Collins. He is one of our most advanced piano students, having recently advanced to Level 6 in the Achievement Program! He will also participate in the prestigious RCM exams this year.
Here’s why Sam’s teacher, Ms. Nicole, nominated him for Student Spotlight:
“I love how much Sam clearly enjoys playing the piano! He plays with passion and an exquisite sense of musicality and expressiveness. Sam continues to surprise me at lessons with new songs he learned all on his own, just because he wanted to play it. He recently came to lessons with a Chopin Prelude learned that I had never assigned – not only could he play all the notes accurately, he also played it so expressively.”
Read our interview with Sam below!
How long have you taken piano lessons?
About 5 years.
Ms. Nicole mentioned that you recently brought in a Chopin Prelude that you learned on your own. What inspired you to learn this piece, and what do you like about it?
I enjoyed it because it is in a minor key, and because I was enjoying waltzes more at the time as well. The only thing that really inspired me was that when I looked at the score, it seemed to be in my skill level. It was also during when I had COVID, so I had a lot of time on my hands.
What do you like about Flourish?
I like that it is mostly a classical based curriculum (classical in the sense that it is not contemporary as much, like pop songs or things of that nature), and because it leaves some room for flexibility. At the place that I was going to beforehand, you had to go through a set schedule without too much deviation.
What else do you like to do?
I enjoy reading and riding horses, as well as listening and following along in the score with other pieces that I might not be able to play at the moment, but hope to in the future.