Top: Composer and famous stride pianist Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller Inset: Composer Alan Hovhaness, with his beloved cat, Rajah Hoyden. |
“She loves dancing, she has good rhythm,” my Mom wrote in my baby book.
Hello, my name is Kyndal Meister, and I am the piano instructor at The Well-Tempered Studio. As a toddler, I adored music. Ever since I could remember, music was tantamount to air, as important as the food I ate. I joyously sang and danced through my early years. And although I flirted with the idea of being a marine biologist, due to my love of nature, I quickly realized a life devoted to music was the only life for me. After beginning piano lessons at the age of 11, I knew I had a future in music besides dancing around in the living room with my little sister to our favorite song "Love Shack". While excelling in my piano studies, I joined band in 5th grade with an ill-fated attempt at the clarinet. However, I loved band and participated until I graduated from High School. I played in Pep, Marching, Concert, and Jazz Band on instruments ranging from the glockenspiel, to the flute, to the piano. My private piano lessons were met with success. During my eight years studying music in band and private lessons, from 5th to 12th grade, I participated in piano masterclasses, honor recitals, adjudications, competitions, and festivals. Most importantly, earned a High School Diploma in Piano from the American College of Musicians. I earned a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from Pacific Lutheran University's School of Arts and Communication. I studied with Jennifer Bowman and many other prestigious musicians and scholars. The earning of this diploma required the music classes listed under experience and education. The most important part of my education, however, were my junior and senior recital. The junior recital required 30 minutes of memorized music, performed at Lagerquist Concert Hall in PLU's beautiful music building. The senior recital required 60 minutes, and included: the first movement of Mozart's piano concerto in D Minor, plus Beethoven's cadenza to said movement; a Bach prelude and fugue, Chopin mazurkas, movements from an Alan Hovhaness sonata, and a Beethoven sonata. These days I love playing duets with my students, discovering obscure piano music, playing pop transcriptions, and singing along to folk music. I love sharing music with those I love, and those who need. Musicians want to be the loud voice, for so many quiet hearts. -Billy Joel |