Sophomore Lydia Qin smiles as she remembers her heart pounding, her stomach whirling, and her fingertips gliding over the piano keys, bringing forth the sounds of Chopin at her annual piano recital last October. Qin is passionate about playing the piano, whether at a recital or simply practicing at home.

According to Qin, performing in the recital can be stressful and nerve-racking. “I’m usually fine until just about five minutes before I have to go up to play,” she said. “Then I get really nervous, and I turn cold.” However, to Qin the nerves are worth it for the amazing sense of accomplishment she gets once she finishes her piece.

For the past eight years, (since she was seven), Qin has been playing piano and has developed a true devotion for her instrument. One way she showed her dedication last April, was by taking a rigorous piano exam offered by the Music Teachers’ Association of California. She was evaluated on her sight-reading, knowledge of music theory, and two piano pieces played for a panel of judges. Qin earned a certificate of merit award in Level 10, the highest level possible. She plans to make note of this achievement in her college applications.

Qin has played a variety of music, but one of her favorite composers is Chopin. “I like playing pieces from the Romantic Period,” she said. “Chopin is someone I like.”

In addition to piano, Qin enjoys playing tennis and badminton at Paly. She was on the junior varsity tennis team as a freshman, and is planning to be on the team again this year. Also in her spare time, Qin attends Chinese school. Her parents were originally from China, until they moved to North Carolina before Qin was born. Qin was born in North Carolina, and then lived in China during kindergarten before moving to Palo Alto, where she learned English in first grade. Qin remains an only child.

For Qin, piano is something she hopes to always keep in her life. To achieve that goal, Qin usually practices piano for an hour every day, although occasionally homework gets in the way of her practicing. She said, “[Piano is] just something that I can be able to play when I grow up, for fun.”