- My name is Michael Lowery.

I go to school at Doane Stuart, and I play the piano.

(melodic piano music) I played Debussy's "Reflets dans l'eau," which translates to "Reflections in the Water."

This piece was suggested to me by my teacher, Joseph Fennimore.

He wanted me to play it because it would be helpful for my development as a musician given the imaginative qualities of the music.

(melodic piano music continues) I like the pictures that the piece paints in my head as I play it.

The piece itself can be very imaginative.

When I play the notes, I can imagine maybe the moon reflecting off of the water, or perhaps trees, stars, maybe even animals sometimes.

(melodic piano music continues) Finding a good tone for playing the notes was rather difficult because it's very sensitive with lots of markings like pianissimo.

That's not very easy to play, especially when your fingers are flying all over the place.

(melodic piano music continues) When I was young, my mom would play the piano very often, and I really enjoyed listening.

So she signed me up for some piano lessons and I've been growing ever since.

I usually try to practice in between homework assignments to kind of, you know, get my brain restructured for the next homework assignment.

There's a lot of homework.

(melodic piano music continues) I never plan on giving up the piano, no matter what kind of time constraints my future may provide because piano just, to me, seems kind of like an inseparable part of my being.

And if it doesn't become a career, then it will always be something I do on the side, maybe playing at bars for money.

(melodic piano music continues) I was nominated by Ann Marie Barker Schwartz.

I'm currently enrolled in a chamber ensemble course at SUNY Schenectady, of which she is the coach.

I'm also grateful to my teacher, Joe Fennimore, because his advice has been invaluable in my growing years as a pianist.

I would like to thank my mother for being a major guiding force in my piano studies.

She was the one who inspired me to play piano in the first place, and I'm very thankful towards her for leading me on this journey.

(melodic piano music continues)