"Maya, then." He gestured to a chair across from his desk. "Please, sit down."
Maya sat. Dr. Holloway sat, too, but not behind his desk; he pulled his chair around so that they were facing each other with no barrier between them.
"I have been watching what has happened since your audition," he said. "The video, the media attention, the offers pouring in. It must be very overwhelming for you."
"It is," Maya admitted. "I do not know how to handle any of it."
Dr. Holloway nodded. "That is exactly why I wanted to talk to you. I have seen this happen before to other young musicians: they have a moment of fame, a viral video, a sudden burst of attention. And if they are not careful, if they do not have the right guidance, it can destroy them."
Maya felt a chill run down her spine. "Destroy them how?"
"In many ways," Dr. Holloway said. "Some sign bad contracts that take all their money and leave them with nothing. Some get caught up in the fame and forget why they started playing in the first place. Some burn out from too many performances, too many interviews, too much pressure. The music industry can be wonderful, but it can also be cruel, especially to young artists who do not know how to protect themselves."
Maya thought about all the offers sitting on her mother's kitchen table: the record deals, the performance requests, the interview invitations. She had no idea which ones were good and which ones were traps.
"What should I do?" she asked.
Dr. Holloway leaned forward. "First, you need to slow down. You do not have to say yes to everything. In fact, you should say no to most things, at least for now. Focus on your training. Focus on developing your skills. The opportunities will still be there in a year, in two years, in five years. But if you spread yourself too thin now, if you try to do everything at once, you will burn out before you ever reach your full potential."
Maya listened carefully. This was the opposite of what most people had been telling her; everyone else said to strike while the iron was hot, to take advantage of her fame before it faded. But Dr. Holloway was saying something different.
"Second," he continued, "you need to build a team around you: people you can trust. A manager who will look out for your interests, not their own. A lawyer who can review contracts and make sure you are not being taken advantage of. A mentor who can guide your artistic development." He paused. "I would like to be that mentor, if you will let me. I know I made a terrible first impression. I know I judged you unfairly and treated you poorly. But what I saw you do at that audition, what I heard you play, it changed something in me. I have been teaching for forty years, and I had started to forget why I got into music in the first place. You reminded me. You reminded me that music is not about technique or perfection or prestige. It is about truth. It is about touching people's hearts, and you do that better than anyone I have ever heard."
Maya looked at him. She saw the sincerity in his eyes; she saw that he meant every word.