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Dana Marie Chan ’22 on rehearsing for her SFCM audition

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The graduate student worked hard at multiple jobs while preparing.

July 12, 2021 by Tim Records

In her own words, Dana Marie Chan (MM ’22) discusses why she chose SFCM.

Before I came to SFCM for my master's degree in collaborative piano, I was working 40 hours per week in a music studio with 700 students. I had very little time to practice and prepare. I taught piano to 17 students in group classes. I was also the event coordinator for the four big recitals each year and coordinated group classes, exams, paperwork, and administration. So I was doing a lot of different things in this one studio. It was my full-time job and I also had a part-time job doing some marketing and social media for another business. To prepare for my audition, the only time I could practice was in the morning because I’d always be working late. Finding time to rehearse with my collaborative partners was a challenge because they also had full-time jobs. I decided to take the audition in February and I never stopped working the whole time while preparing for the audition. It paid off.

I’m so glad I came to SFCM. In my life, self-confidence has been something I have struggled with, but studying collaborative piano has been a huge help. Occasionally, my collaborative partners get nervous too. By helping to make them feel confident, I also feel better. Doing it for other people is a way of improving my own confidence.

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