Journey of the Multi-Keyboard Artist with Yearim Yi
Whatever path I take, I seem to choose a course that requires long hours of sitting at the keyboard, whether it be in the musical form or the computer form. My coding journey began early in 2021, around May, as I finished my offline, covid-friendly requirements for my Master’s in Piano Performance at the Manhattan School of Music (MSM).
My life as a musician has given me a unique insight into the importance of technology in the music industry. Even as music and technology are often perceived to be at opposite ends of the spectrum – the two areas have a lot more in common than might initially appear. Their commonalities stem from a shared origin in math and science. We often ignore technology’s significant role in classical music, anchored as it is in the obstinate world of western music tradition. But whether this impact is felt in big ways or small, there is no denying that this Luddite perspective is prevalent throughout the musical community. This problem, one I have personally encountered, is a real problem, but no one in my field of music has been actively working on resolving these issues.
I have made it my life’s work to identify and solve problems as a musician. But, the ability to diagnose and fix technological issues was something I had been unable to do until very recently. During the ongoing pandemic, as my Master’s program and teaching jobs shifted to being solely virtual, I started to see the importance of the technology field. While at the same time, I began to feel betrayed by my major, as if “Music” wanted me to leave the field. I questioned my short-term and long-term musical goals. When told during the pandemic that music was ‘not essential,’ my rose-colored glasses, at last, came off, and the idyllic vision I’d had of my future in the field became permanently altered. And after completing my Master’s degree, I enrolled in a coding boot camp offered by Flatiron School.
I have learned a wide variety of programming languages and technological topics during the 15-week full-stack development program. After two months of mass applying and studying algorithms, an internship at Teladoc Health followed. Upon completing my internship, I accepted a full-time return offer at the same company as a software engineer.
Having come through this career change, I can look back with a clear perspective and say honestly: I am proud of myself. It has been challenging to start over from scratch in a new field, but thankfully, the discipline and patience I learned from piano and teaching have transferred to coding. The fact that I have always been able to motivate myself during these transitional phases, even when out of my comfort zone, has always been one of my most significant and rewarding sources of pride. To build a successful career, I made sure that I reminded myself daily that perseverance, dedication, and determination are essential.
Because music is no longer my primary source of income, I can now approach piano and practice without any tension or stress. Having taken a year off from practicing piano and not even touching the keys, I felt I had been out of touch with myself for quite some time. The piano was the only instrument I picked back up after I graduated from my internship into a full-time position. Once I saved enough from my paychecks, I bought a Yamaha upright piano for my new apartment.
It still was not easy to sit on my piano bench after an 8-hour work day. But, I knew that consistent practice was one of the most effective ways to get back on track. I created small goals – prioritizing my work hours over my practice hours – like during lunch breaks, saying to myself, “you can eat or practice as you wish.” When I can fit three hours into my weekday schedule, I consider that a job well done! On weekends, I’ve also found a lot of flexibility regarding practice hours. That is the beauty of not relying on music as my primary source of income, as I am not dependent on it.
When I was young, I used to fear that I would never be able to make it as a pianist because I was not good enough. As a classical musician, I still fall into that trap sometimes. But now I like to think that I play piano for the love of music, not for the money!
It is not uncommon for me to play some entertaining pieces to myself when I am losing focus. I am not pressured or feel guilty about learning anything because I only focus on my favorite parts. Having the freedom to choose my repertoire and practice it at my own pace is one of the most significant advantages of being a musician outside of school. I have been creating my own concert opportunities over the past few months. This month I will be attending two of these events. My musical chops have been kept active because I’m playing a challenging piece, but it’s been rewarding all the same! Additionally, I plan to hold a concert at my home next year as part of a home concert series. An intimate concert at my apartment would be an excellent way for me to invite some close family and friends to join in sharing something still very dear to me: my love of being a pianist.
As my ultimate goal, I hope to get back into teaching over the weekend. I would like to restart my piano studio in the future, but this time I’d like to do it in person. I feel that COVID has musically opened up a wide range of possibilities for me, even though it seems to have stifled the opportunities I built during my Master’s degree. I might be construed as not being traditional enough in my approach to music to pursue it throughout my life. However, there are times when it is necessary to prioritize paying your bills over pursuing your passion full-time. It does not dim that passion for relegating it to a part-time pursuit, but in my experience, it gives you the freedom to enjoy it just for itself—art for art’s sake, rather than money. I’ll always be a pianist at heart, more of a musician than an engineer. (I’ll just be better paid).
