Classical music is universal because it speaks to things we all know well—tension, longing, joy, anxiety. These emotions are not smooth, just as our lives are not smooth. That's why I allow myself to use sounds that are not perfect—because they reveal emotions most fully. The kind that are difficult to immediately name, but easy to feel.

For years, I was taught how to play, how to look, and how to function in the world of classical music. I was taught patterns, rules, and frameworks to adhere to. Over time, I realized that this wasn't my language. From then on, I stopped playing the way I should and started playing the way I felt.