Key to talent

Junior Cindy Yan performs at 13th Annual St. Louis Teen Talent Show

put in to get here, but part of me still can’t believe it.”

At this point in her piano career, Yan’s near mastery of the basics allows her to apply more creative and expressive aspects to her pieces. Her technical ability comes from hours upon hours of repetition and experience, something evident in her performance at the Teen Talent Show.

“[Cindy’s] performances are always great,” sophomore Bohan Pan said. “She has a certain maturity and lyricism in the way that she plays music that’s so special and impressive to see, especially taking into account that she’s only a 16-year-old. Not to mention from a technical perspective, she’s out there demonstrating insanely difficult skills and passages.”

Laura Schindler taught both Yan and Pan to play piano. Schindler was a highly esteemed classical piano teacher in the St. Louis area and has worked with Yan since 2013. Schindler passed away March 23.

“[Schindler] has been my main source of support all these years; I’ve made it this far because of her,” Yan said. “I want to express all my gratitude and emotions in my performance at the Fox and use it to honor her. After all, she’s the reason that I’m here; it’s all dedicated to her.”

One of the many lessons Schindler bestowed upon Yan was the way in which she views playing music. Rather than simply executing motions, Yan utilizes the piano to tell the story of the composition.

“Every classical piece has a story behind it,” Yan said. “Each sonata is more than just notes. They have their rises and falls, so I play them as a journey. Also, every piece was written by a person who had their own story and emotions going into it, so I try and express whatever the composer was thinking and intending when they wrote it.”

At the 13th Annual St. Louis Teen Talent Competition, Yan competed as one of 14 finalists. The Terry Lynford Classical Music Scholarship was awarded to her for her performance. While a milestone, this is not the end of Yan’s musical career.

“I don’t plan on stopping any time soon,” Yan said. “Playing the piano is something I’ll take with me to college and beyond.”

RIGHT: A car drives along a street in Annecy, France. The Mont Veyrier and Semnoz mountains were visible in the distance. "[Annecy] is near Switzerland and it's very beautiful," Mina said.

BELOW: The sun sets above mountains that surround Annecy. The proximity of the mountains created unique opportunities. "During the winter, we have a lot of mountains around my house, so we can [go] skiing," Mina said.

(Photos courtesy of Matteo Mina)

Ask the host

"I loved having Julia [Gaspar] and showing her around St. Louis. We got along so well and made so many memories together. I really recommend hosting an exchange student if the opportunity ever comes up."

Stella Schober, sophomore

"I loved having Eva [Mauro], [and hosting her] was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Even though she was here for two weeks, we bonded, and when she left it was like a part of me left too."

Violet Cobaugh, junior