Lessons of a lifetime: Gifted Pianist who has arthritis

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Lessons of a lifetime

http://www.keepmecurrent.com/AandE/story.cfm?storyID=20675

A talented Shapleigh singer, pianist and composer will share his talents

with musicians and teachers from all over the world this week.

Dane Grondin, 18, will attend Master Classes and perform at the Portland

Conservatory of Music's Third Annual Piano and Chamber Music Festival being

held June 22-30.

Promising young musicians from all over the world, including Bulgaria,

Russia and China, will sit in on piano and cello sessions, a chance to learn

from renowned musicians.

Grondin was asked to audition for the festival after he won an award for his

own composition " Rhapsody on the Passion, " a classical piece, at the annual

Portland Conservatory of Music's Ocy Downs Piano Prize competition held in

March.

Deirdre McClure, the executive director of the Portland Conservatory of

Music, said, " Dane is very talented, that's for sure. But what he really has

going for him is his sheer love of music. "

After a series of classes during the week, students will be asked to perform

in a recital to showcase what they have learned. Grondin will be tickling

the ivories along with a string quartet. " This will be the first time I'll

be playing accompanied by other musicians, " said Grondin.

Soon to be a senior at St. Aquinas High School in Dover, N.H.,

Grondin started singing before taking up the piano. While in first- and

second-grade at the Shapleigh Memorial School, he sang a carol solo at the

annual Christmas concerts.

But while in third grade at St. Aquinas in Sanford, Grondin was

forced to trade playing sports to playing the piano after he was diagnosed

with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. " I like the combination of doing both,

singing and playing the piano, " said Grondin.

Since then, Grondin's love of music has become his favorite pastime and

emotional release. " It's easier to express emotions with music because music

is pure emotion. All your angry emotions can be dumped into it and then you

feel renewed, your stress dissipates, " said Grondin.

Nowadays, Grondin is not only performing music, but writing it as well. He

admires the compositions of Beethoven and Chopin, but when asked whose

pieces he most likes to play, Grondin responded, " My own. " He also looks up

to artists that compose and sing, like Elton and .

After high school, Grondin's dream would be to attend college at Julliard to

study music, but he is also looking at the Boston Conservatory of Music and

the New England Conservatory of Music. During his summer breaks from school,

Grondin plays at piano bars in local area restaurants and he also gives

piano lessons to two local children.

The Master Classes for piano, in which Grondin will be participating, will

be held at the First Parish Church on 425 Congress Street in Portland from

11 a.m. to 1 p.m., June 22-29. Cello Master Classes will be held June 22-28

at the Portland Conservatory of Music at 116 Free Street in Portland. The

public is welcome to attend the classes. Admission is $10 per class, or $25

for all classes.

" If folks come and watch Dane in one of the Master Classes, they'll be

amazed by his poise and determination, " said McClure.