- My name is Vien Le.

I go to Colonie Central High School in Albany, New York, and I play piano.

("Rondo Capriccioso") Today, I played Mendelssohn's "Rondo Capriccioso," and I would describe it as exciting.

("Rondo Capriccioso") I really like this piece because it sort of is an opportunity for a pianist to show off, like, every skill in their toolbox.

("Rondo Capriccioso") There's the andante section in the beginning that's a little bit slower and you get to play around with the melody a little more.

And then in the faster section, the allegro, you just kind of like go all over the place and you experience almost every emotion on the spectrum.

("Rondo Capriccioso") I picked this piece myself because I've been playing a lot of romantic pieces, and I know that Mendelssohn walks like that fine line between classical and romantic, but I just wanted to play something different from what I've played before.

("Rondo Capriccioso") For me, what was challenging was going between the emotional extremes of the andante and the allegro and just like conveying my music in a way that wasn't robotic, just because there were so many fast notes.

("Rondo Capriccioso") Competing between both hands, I feel, is just part of like those emotional extremes that Mendelssohn is trying to convey.

And so there are times where the left hand wins out a little more and times where the right hand wins out a little more.

And I think that's just like a broader insight on how Mendelssohn approached life, and like sometimes one side wins out over the other, but overall the good and the bad in your life come together.

("Rondo Capriccioso") So, piano was my first instrument.

I picked it up when I was three.

And this was just from seeing my extended family, so all of my cousins play piano too.

And when I was little and we'd have family dinners, I just watched them play piano.

And once I was old enough where I could like say that I wanted to play piano, I sort of went for it, and I like to thank my parents for putting me into piano so early because piano was my first step into the world of music, and music was how I found a community.

("Rondo Capriccioso") So, for piano, I sort of practice whenever I can find the time.

So sometimes, that means free periods during school.

Sometimes, that means like right after school.

Sometimes, even late at night if my parents and brother are amenable to it.

It's been harder to find like time during my senior year of high school, but piano has taught me that you don't find the time to practice, you make it.

("Rondo Capriccioso") I think that since music has been in my life for so long, it only makes sense to keep it in my life in some way.

And the way that will look just depends on where I end up for college next year.

But I know that piano will be my lifelong hobby.

("Rondo Capriccioso") So my best friend Hanh Nguyen nominated me for this, and I'm really grateful to her.

We actually met because of piano, we had the same teacher, and we've gone on so many like ups and downs in our musical journey together, and I just can't thank her enough for this opportunity.

So first, I'd like to thank my parents again for getting me into piano so early and for their support over the years, from the way that my dad would drive me to all the performances, to the way my mom would like sit with me while I practiced when I was little.

All of their dedication gets me to where I am today.

I'd also like to thank all of the music teachers that have helped me get to this point.

I play more than just piano.

I play violin, too, but I'm finding that the multitude of perspectives I've gotten from both my piano teacher, Alice Smergen, and all of my violin teachers and orchestra teachers I've worked with through school have really just shaped me into the musician I am today, and I couldn't be here without them.

("Rondo Capriccioso")