Mount Madonna School (MMS) senior David Kerr will be participating in a United States Open Music Competition (USOMC) in Oakland, California taking place February 16-21.Kerr, a longtime Morgan Hill resident, began playing piano when he was four and currently studies with teacher, Mr. K.K. Koo.
The USOMC competition includes 88 events and Kerr will be participating in two: on February 19 he will perform his original composition, ‘Thoughts Racing’; and on February 20, he will compete at the senior level in a Liszt duo with partner Kristin Wolfe, and perform ‘Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2.’ For the duo competition, there are two pianos played simultaneously and both are considered solos.
‘Thoughts Racing’ is Kerr’s first composition, and he shared that the process was challenging though ultimately very satisfying.
‘I absolutely loved the process of writing my own music,’ shared Kerr. ‘Music has, and always will, be a huge part of my life. In creating my own music, I found that I learned more about myself and now have an entirely new field in which to expand upon my studies.‘A friend of mine inspired me to try composing,’ he explained. ‘I have always wanted to try, but never did because I thought I wouldn’t be able to. When I heard several of my friend’s original compositions and liked them a great deal, she encouraged me and said that all I really need to do was ‘just try,’ so that’s exactly what I did. Now, eight months later, I have finished my first piece. It certainly took a lot of trying, but was well worth it.’
The upcoming competition will be Kerr’s first, and he is embracing the challenge:
‘Initially, I was very resistant, mainly because I felt I wasn’t good enough,’ he acknowledged. ‘Now I feel that it’s a wonderful way to push myself to new levels in terms of my performance. It does induce a certain level of stress, although for what I feel I am getting out of it, I am totally willing to put my best effort forward.’
‘I have always enjoyed playing the piano,’ Kerr added, ‘although the countless hours of work required to reach that enjoyment is quite daunting. When I was younger, the amount of practice I had to put into it almost made me quit. Fortunately, I stayed with it and now I’m at the point where even the hard work is enjoyable.’
Asked about his favorite piece of music and composer, Kerr replied that ‘there is no simple answer to that question.’
‘My musical taste changes very quickly,’ he said, ‘and considering the importance music holds for me, I like to listen to whatever music is most relevant to my current life experiences.’
For more information on the competition, visit: www.usomc.org
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Contact: Leigh Ann Clifton, Marketing & Communications,