"Don't listen to those people," Sam would say. "They don't know how hard you have worked or how talented you are. You earned your place in this concert."
But Maya was starting to feel the pressure of all the attention. She had gone from being an unknown girl who practiced at a community center to someone whose every move was being watched and judged by thousands of people online.
The day of the dress rehearsal arrived. Maya took two buses to get to Steinway Concert Hall, carrying her lucky water bottle and the small music notebook that Mrs. Rodriguez had given her.
When Maya walked into the concert hall, she was amazed by how big and beautiful it was. She had been here once before as an audience member, but being here as a performer felt completely different.
The other young musicians were already there, warming up on the stage. Maya listened to them play and realized that they were all extremely talented. Some of them had been studying at prestigious music schools for years. Others had already won important competitions. Maya started to wonder if she really belonged with such accomplished musicians.
"Maya Chen!" called a voice. It was Sarah from the Harmony Foundation. "We're so glad you're here. Let me introduce you to the other performers."
Maya met the other 11 young musicians. They were all very kind and welcomed her warmly. But Maya could tell that some of them were curious about her blindness and wondered how she had learned to play classical music without formal training.
"I saw your audition video online," said a girl named Jennifer who played violin. "Your interpretation of the Rachmaninoff was really unique. I had never heard it played with quite that emotional style before."
Maya was not sure if this was a compliment or a criticism. "Thank you," she said quietly.
When it was Maya's turn to rehearse on stage, she felt more nervous than she had ever felt before. The stage was enormous, and she could feel the empty seats stretching out in front of her like a vast ocean. The grand piano looked beautiful, but intimidating under the bright stage lights.
Maya sat down at the piano bench and tried to remember everything Mrs. Rodriguez had taught her about stage presence. She adjusted the bench height, placed her feet on the pedals, and positioned her hands on the keys.