UNAIR NEWS – The determination to excel never fades for UNAIR students. Whether in academic or non-academic fields, students of Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) always strive for their best. 

Recently, one of the students from the Faculty of Pharmacy (FF) has made a remarkable achievement. Beatrix Yapply won 3rd Place in the elementary category of the La Pianista Piano Competition 2024 on Saturday, Feb 17, 2024, at Grand City, Surabaya. 

The La Pianista Piano Competition is organized by La Pianista Music in collaboration with MILKU. The competition was held in several cities across the country such as Surabaya, Medan, Semarang, Jakarta, Bali, Singapore, and Taiwan.

“This is my second competition, the first being in elementary school. After a brief hiatus due to COVID-19, I joined again to explore and challenge myself,” she told UNAIR NEWS.

Nervous and panicked at first 
Beatrix admitted that she did not expect to make it to the Top 3. During the competition, she felt nervous and panicked. Initially, she tried to be confident, but her legs suddenly trembled, causing her to panic. This panic made her slightly lose focus, resulting in mistakes while pressing the piano keys.

“Nevertheless, I took a moment to forget about that incident and refocused on looking ahead to complete the music I was performing,” she said.

She firmly believes that creating beautiful music goes beyond reading musical notes and playing the piano keys flawlessly. It involves infusing the story and emotions within a song, along with showcasing the performer’s unique style during the performance in front of the audience.

“I tried to incorporate those into my performance. I think that’s what brought me to achieve 3rd place, despite making two mistakes on the piano keys,” she said.

Introduced to piano since childhood 
Beatrix shared that she started learning the piano at a young age. She began piano lessons in first grade because of her parents’ encouragement. At that time, she tried to participate in several competitions, although she did not win. Then, during junior high school, she only focused on practicing for the ABRSM piano exam. This made her less interested in delving into piano further. Eventually, during the 2020 pandemic, she took a brief break from piano lessons due to boredom.

During this break, Beatrix discovered classical music content on YouTube, introducing her to orchestral music. This rekindled her passion for playing the piano, as she found music to be a rich and dynamic experience. She believes in the power of musical dynamics and intensity to touch the heart.

“For me, playing the piano is a hobby that makes me grow in courage and aesthetics. It’s a medium to convey various songs with my unique interpretation,” she said. 

Practice and teacher’s role 
In the end, the Surabaya native attributes her achievement to dedicated efforts and hard work. Before the competition, she engaged in intense practice sessions and sought guidance from an experienced teacher or mentor. The advice received from her mentor significantly influenced her performance.

“The guidance I received helped me recognize that despite my understanding of piano theory, there are numerous practical aspects that I need to enhance. This advice opened my eyes to the realization that I sometimes overlook many details and nuances in the music,” she said. (*) 

Author: Rafli Noer Khairam

Editor: Khefti Al Mawalia

Source : unair.ac.id/en/unair-pharmacy-student-wins-3rd-place-at-international-piano-competition