The notes come easily now. Sitting down at the piano, senior Jack Pressey isn’t worried about counting beats or chasing perfection, but rather playing for the escape it brings him. With 12 years of experience playing and performing in front of an audience, Pressey is grateful for all the opportunities it brought him, but he now likes playing for his own enjoyment.
“My mom got me into [playing piano] because she liked music and played piano, but she quit and then regretted it, so she wanted my sister and I to play,” Pressey said.
Pressey maintained a successful piano career throughout the COVID-19 lockdown, during which he won a Certificate of Merit award, despite the judging system being moved from in-person to virtual due to the social distancing rules of the time.
“Usually you have to go and play songs in front of judges, but during COVID I couldn’t go in and sit there, so I got recordings of the songs and I sent them in,” Pressey said. “Then I had to go to a place in [Palos Verdes] and do a written music theory test, and once I passed that, I got the award.”
A lot of work went into receiving the award, from rigorous study of music theory and notations to hours and hours of practicing his chosen songs. His efforts were all made worth it, however, once he achieved the certificate.
“[The award] meant a lot. I was very happy that I passed because I was decently young [at the time] and music theory was hard to learn,” Pressey said. “I had to do a lot of studying, and it was a relief to know that I have a certification [proving that] I know music and can play piano. It was a great feeling.”
Pressey’s work ethic translates into his other recitals and performances, many of which he does with his sister, Samantha Pressey.
“My favorite part of playing piano was doing duets with him,” Samantha Pressey said. “It was cool because me and my brother haven’t really done anything similar except playing piano, so I feel like it made us bond a lot more. It felt like I could have a closer relationship with him [because of our shared hobby].”
Although Jack Pressey doesn’t play for crowds or competition anymore, he still spends hours a week in front of the piano, learning to play songs that spark his interest.
“I enjoy classical music. I love playing Chopin and Beethoven,” Jack Pressey said. “I like them because they’re different from what I usually listen to, [and] especially because [their music is] a lot harder. If I play songs I listen to normally, when I play them on the piano, they’re super easy, so it’s nice to have a challenge of having a project song [to work on].”
While he now views playing piano as less of a future career and more of a hobby, Jack Pressey will always gravitate towards it, no matter the occasion.
“I think he will continue [playing piano],” Samantha Pressey said. “I hear him at like, 11 o’clock at night, and he’s just playing. He enjoys it a lot, and it’s a way for him to relieve his stress.”
