Campus Del Arti was actually a music camp that I had joined since 2016. It happened every summer in mid July in Bassano Del Grappa, Italy. Every year I'd travel to Venice, hop on a 2 hour train ride to Bassano, and enjoy an awesome week practicing with amazing teachers with the likes of Constantin Bogino.

It was in 2018 that I participated solo in their annual competition. Now this competition wasn't only pianists... It was for all instrumentalists. The first round consisted of winning your instrument category.. And then the finalists would go head to head in a 1 piece performance.

The first round went like a breeze. I played Chopin's 1st etude op.10, and I also played a Beethoven Sonata's 1st movement. The final round was very stressful. I was going up against very very good players, and didn't really think I had a shot at first prize. My performance definitely wasn't the best I had ever performed.. But through an audience vote, I earned the 1st prize!

How awesome. I felt so accomplished. Throughout the journey, I was actually quite alone.. My teacher was present, but I'd argue I pulled a lot of the weight as I didn't get many lessons from any maestros. Anyways, along with the 1st prize, I was also awarded several recitals in different cities. It was first announced that the cities would be Rome, Venice, Padua, and Bassano Del Grappa. But, unfortunately Venice was taken out :(

My tour journey which happened eventually in May of 2019 would be an absolute blast. I performed 1.5 hour recitals in several locations and I loved every minute of it. Traveling around and site-seeing was also worth so much! 100% would do it again.

This was my second time participating in this piano competition and as for the pressure.. It grew to the highest it had ever been. Though I was quite confident inside, I still knew how much work I needed to put in. It was very hard because of my fellow participants. They were all very good!

To win 1st prize here would further solidify my strength as one of the top pianists in Finland of my age group. So this was big. Game on!

My first round went smooth like the wind... But unfortunately, I made a couple of blunders in my second round... Specifically my Rachmaninoff where I kind of got too excited, and missed a crucial note. I'd argue this earned me the 2nd prize instead of the 1st, though... It probably wasn't ONLY because of the one blunder.

Anyhow, I was still extremely happy with the results.

There was a whole year before I attended the next piano competition, which happened to be the same one as the previous competition. This time I was feeling more pressured to be honest after last time's victory. It felt like there was some expectation I had to meet... Like I had to get 1st prize again. This pressure amounting from mainly my teacher and parents would actually help me as it made me work even harder

I remember beginning to feel intimidated by all the contestants there. I was growing but at the time I think I was quite young in my age category, so I was quite small compared to others. Funny how pressure plays with your feelings and devours your confidence.

Luckily I absolutely ripped my performance and earned myself the 1st prize... Again. Didn't celebrate too much to be honest.

Now this was a competition I thought big of. It was a very lovely event, well organised, and well marketed. Everything looked super professional, and it was part of a music festival. In this competition I trained very hard, practicing more than I had ever before. Many late nights and tears and even blood.

Everything went very smooth and I remember smoking my performance, which earned me the 1st prize which I was very proud of. It seemed I couldn't stop at that time and I was hungry for more.

This was one of the events that pushed me further in my skills as I was getting older and going up against even more skilled pianists at my age group.

This was a competition I thought I'd join for the fun of it. I believe I missed out on it a couple years ago and was thinking I'd join so I won't be sad on missing out on it again. In my mind I didn't think much, just play good, play well, and stay confident. And so I did.

The practicing was intense, but I would say not as intense as the others even though I had a small defeat in my a previous competition. Anyways I knew I still needed to win. It wasn't exactly a walk in the park.

I wish I'd remember what I played, but my performance earned me 1st prize in my age group, and of course I was stoked. It's something I will remember as I was also competing alongside my fellow classmates from my school and other schools as well in Finland.

This was at the time the biggest competition I'd go to. This was arguably the biggest national youth piano competition in Finland, and I was set to play there for the first time. I practiced day in day out for this competition for months. My teacher, mother, and I had pushed myself beyond any limits I had at the time both technically wise and musical maturity wise.

This competition had the best youth pianists around Finland participate, and to win something from this was to solidify my excellence in competing.

After a solid 2 rounds of sicko mode performing, I got awarded the main prize (at my age group at the time, there was no 1, 2, or 3... It was either main prize or other prizes). Let's go!

Coming to my second competition, it was a mixture of confidence and knowing that I'd probably get my ass whooped since it was an international competition.. And a lot of the participants were Russian. As you know, the Russians are beasts in classical arts so I had to double my efforts to even get a chance at the finals.

Anyways, all was smooth except the hotels and pianos.. They were not the best of quality. I DID advance to the final round, but I felt as if I could have done better altogether.

I guess my feelings checked out as I was awarded the 4th prize instead of a 3rd or above, though, I did compete against Alexander Maloféyev so I basically had no chance back then. 4th place was sort of a loss for me but considering the circumstances, I'll take it.

This was the first piano competition I ever competed in. At the time I was only 9 years old, travelling to Estonia with my mom and my piano teacher. I had my first taste in competing and to be honest, it was quite harsh. Practicing more than I ever had daily, and experiencing the max amount of anxiety and nervousness I had ever felt in my life.

The competing itself was actually fun. To be able to perform in front of a big audience all listening carefully to what I played was awesome and enjoyable as always. I remember it was also one of my first times playing with a small orchestra. The piece I played for the final round was called "The girl and the dragon" and it was so exciting to play.

I was awarded 2nd place. For a first competition.. I was absolutely stoked! Though... First place would have been cooler.