"Do you think she belongs on this stage?" the other person asked.
Maya held her breath, waiting for Victor's answer.
"Well," Victor said slowly, "I believe in being encouraging to young people, but between you and me, I think this might be more of a publicity stunt than a serious musical performance. Classical music requires a level of training and sophistication that is very difficult to achieve without proper education and natural advantages."
Maya felt like someone had poured cold water over her entire body. Even after all her hard work, Victor still did not think she was a real musician. Worse, he thought her performance was just a publicity stunt.
Maya's confidence, which had been shaky all day, completely collapsed. She suddenly felt like she did not belong on this stage at all. Maybe Victor was right. Maybe she was just fooling herself about her abilities.
Maya stood in the wings of the stage, listening to her introduction being announced to the packed concert hall. Her heart was pounding so hard that she thought it might burst out of her chest. Her hands were shaking, and her mouth felt completely dry.
"Ladies and gentlemen," the announcer's voice echoed through the hall, "our next performer is 17-year-old Maya Chen. Maya has been studying piano for five years and will be performing the first movement of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2."
Maya heard polite applause from the audience, but she also heard some whispers and murmurs. She knew that many people in the audience had come specifically to see her perform because of the viral video from months ago. Some were hoping she would succeed, while others were probably expecting her to fail.
A stagehand gently touched Maya's arm. "It's time," he said softly.
Maya took a deep breath and began walking toward the grand piano. The stage lights were so bright that she could feel their warmth on her face. The audience fell completely silent as she walked slowly across the large stage, using her memory of the dress rehearsal to guide her steps.
When Maya reached the piano bench, she paused for a moment to collect herself. She could feel the eyes of over 1,200 people watching her every move. Somewhere in the audience, her family was sitting in the front row, hoping and praying that she would do well. Backstage, Victor Holbrook was probably waiting to see if his harsh judgment of her had been correct.