Qualified Pianist of 10 years offering piano lessons. All ages and skill levels are welcome!

Find out more about Byung Hwi

• 1) When did you develop an interest in music and/or your favourite instrument?

  1) My favourite instrument is the piano. At first piano used to be a chore, something your parents used to tell you to just do. However this changed when I first saw one of my pianist friends play at a concert. For the first time, I had seen emotion and beauty behind every key that was pressed. He wasn't just reading a set of music, he was telling a beautiful story through musical sounds. Then did I realise that the piano was an art form...one of the most beautiful I had ever seen.

• 2) Is there a particular type of music or an artist that you could happily listen to on a loop?

  2) Tony Anderson and Sigur Ros are people I could listen to for hours. I love the calmness their music brings and the feeling of ease I feel.

• 3) Explain to us the most difficult or 'riveting' lesson you could personally give to one of your students.

  3) The most difficult would probably be playing a high difficulty technical piece of music that also requires the emotional maturity and understanding that is required to perform that piece beautifully. All music requires emotion and musicality behind every sound. If you do not play without emotion, the music sounds very bland, even if the melody is wonderful. Now imagine you had to play a difficult piece of music, where your fingers are on over drive, AND have to play every note with sincerity and control that can precisely express how you feel. That is difficult!

• 4) What do you think is the most complicated instrument to master and why?

  4) Probably the classical guitar. While piano is difficult because there are 2 lines of music you must read simultaneously for left and right hands, the guitar is just so technically difficult to play. The level of finger control and strength required is much more difficult than the piano!

• 5) What are your keys to success (aside from do re mi fa sol ...)?

  5) Practice and Love. I repeat practice and love. On the days where you might hate practicing, your love for music must push you through!

• 6) Name three musicians you dream of meeting, and explain why.

  6) Sigur Ros because their music has been such a deep part of me that I'd love to see them.
  Hans Zimmer because man! Who doesn't love his epic soundtracks in the many A-class movies out there?!
  Chopin because his music was so innovative during his time and so incredibly unique. I want to know his thought process and how he even came up with his beautifully crafted melodies.

• 7) Could you share an anecdote related to your musical journey or your student days?

  7) I once had to fill in for the bass guitar in a jazz band one day. They assumed I'd play the bass guitar melody on an actual bass guitar even though I had little experience. I ended up on performance night pulling out an electric keyboard and set its sound output to bass as a replacement for a physical bass guitar... we came first place that night. So I guess no bass guitar was needed :)

• 8) What are the little touches that make you a Superprof in music?

  8) I love teaching. I love performing. I love when my students understand and they themselves love what is being taught. That little feeling of joy I get from these instances are what make me so amped for the lessons with my students ahead!