I Told My 7th Grade English Teacher That I'd Perform at Carnegie Hall

My Grandpa, Kirby Giles, was the only other pianist in my family. He passed away from cancer before I was born, so I never got to meet him.

One day, my 7th grade English teacher told us about an upcoming assignment. He wanted us all to bring in a picture of our hero. Naturally, I brought in a picture of my Grandpa Kirby.

When I brought in the picture, I told the class about my dream to one day perform at Carnegie Hall. I even had a picture of Carnegie Hall on my bulletin board in my bedroom. It was always a goal I wanted to reach; I just didn’t know when I would get there.

My first time at Carnegie Hall was with my high school choir in the spring of 2018. Although that was a fantastic experience, I still wanted to go back and keep my promise of someday playing there.

Fast forward a few years. I won an international piano and strings competition with my piano trio at Utah Valley University. It was one of the greatest days of my life.

When I finally played the piano at Carnegie Hall, I felt the presence of my younger self. I could imagine that 7th grade girl backstage, smiling from ear to ear, so proud of what she had accomplished.

Maybe that’s the part I remember most.

And guess who got an email?

My favorite English teacher of all time, Mr. Ryan.

The subject line?

I DID IT!