A Tribute to my Piano Teacher: Ms. Ruo Balko

Today I was listening to the Grieg Holberg Suite during my internship, played by Dr. Hastings, who passed away last year. Dr. Hastings was my piano professor when I went to the FSU piano institute four years ago. Listening to the Holberg Suite made me feel very sentimental, and I suddenly started crying. Dr. Hastings had a reputation for being hard on his students because he pushed them to be the best that they could be. I loved Dr. Hastings; he was the best, and being reminded of Dr. Hastings reminded me of my piano teacher who had pushed me to meet him in the first place, who has by far made the biggest impact on my life yet: Ms. Ruo Balko.

Ms. Balko is the reason I went to the magnet arts schools (BAK & Dreyfoos) for middle and high school, and music festivals like FSU, Eastern Music Festival, and Southeastern Piano Festival. Ms. Balko has not only been my piano teacher, but also my mentor in life. I remember when she used to live in Village Walk, the community across from Olympia where I lived. Our "45 min." piano lessons would start at 8:30 PM and often extend until 11:30 PM, sometimes even midnight while she shared her insights on life and music.

Ms. Balko cared about her students to the point of obsession. She was constantly trying to come up with creative ways of inspiring them to practice more, researching music opportunities, and modifying her teaching technique. She was both a teacher and an avid student, and loved her profession, music, and her students beyond anyone I've ever met. Her students consistently won piano competitions, but more importantly, loved music as an extension of Ms. Balko's dedication to music and her love for her students.

Ms. Balko was the first person in my life who truly pushed me to become the best that I could be, who gave me confidence to pursue impossible things by encouraging me to tackle pieces like Chopin Sonata no.2 and Prokofiev's 3rd Piano Sonata when I wasn't yet ready for them. I remember when I wanted to play the Prokofiev's 2nd piano concerto, a piece that other professors at piano festivals thought I was crazy for undertaking. Ms. Balko, in contrast, embraced the challenge and supported me. She's the reason that I was able to perform the concerto at Eastern Music Festival with the Eastern Philharmonic, an experience that I remember fondly to this day as the highlight of my high school piano adventures.

Ms. Balko influenced my mentality in life forever. She taught me how to love deeply through the example she set herself; to never give up, to be uncompromising when pursing what I want and love; to never fear difficult problems, to instead search for them and tackle them with conviction; to remember that anything, anything in the world, can be learned through time and hard work. I respect the teaching profession immensely, which exists solely for the betterment of the next generation: a very noble goal. I respect Ms. Balko even more for sizing up her role in society, and for being a teacher who cared. Ms. Balko inspired students like me to be the best that they could be, and I would not be where I am today if not for her. For that, I am immensely grateful.