I had my very first ever singing performance on Friday (10/30)! The theme of this Cadenza performance was “movie soundtrack.” I decided, after being extremely indecisive, to sing “Always Remember Us This Way” from the movie A Star Is Born. One of the main reasons why I chose this song was because Lady Gaga’s character, who sang this song, is named Ally.

Prior to the performance check, I tried to practice as much as I could. Since I already knew the song beforehand, what I had to focus on was my piano accompaniment. The most challenging part was performing solo and, on top of that, having it be my first time singing in front of an audience of this size. I contemplated on not singing the bridge of the song because I felt that my voice did not fit t

On the day of the performance, I listened to the song and reviewed the piano chords. Placing my hands onto the keyboards, they were visibly shaking. I was definitely nervous; fortunately, my voice did not reflect that too obviously. I ended up deciding to keep the bridge of the song, but it was during this part of the song where my hands slipped and pressed the wrong note. Though it took me by surprise, I did not show any reaction to it. I found that I carried the same mindset that I usually have for taekwondo competitions, which is to try my best and remain as calm as possible.

After the performance, I was still a bit shaky, recognizing that I was able to accomplish this task. My friends and some teachers gave me words of encouragement, which was rewarding. I value this performance because it allowed me to prove to myself that it is possible for me to to this, and that this is actually very enjoyable.

Here is the video of my performance: