Many people wish that they could play beautiful melodic melodies on a piano, but only a few can. Though now only freshmen, Scott MacDonald and Diane Wang have had more experience doing so than most students at AHS. Having already won numerous competitions, these two will continue to make wonderful music for years to come. Freshman Scott MacDonald is an accomplished pianist at AHS. He has been playing piano ever since he was 4 and entered his first competition when he was 5. “I got interested in piano at the age of 2 when my parents played Chopin,” MacDonald said. “Then my parents signed me up for lessons.” Currently, he is playing under Cyndie Caruth, president of the Iowa Music Teachers Association. He recently finished second place at the University of Northern Iowa. He participates in jazz band, choir accompaniment, and band at school. In the future he hopes to study music. “I still have a long way to go but I’ve also accomplished a lot,” Macdonald said. Many people think that Asians dominate piano, and this popular belief is probably true. Many Asians were forced to play piano by their parents when they were young because Asian parents believe that by giving their child piano lessons, it creates opportunities for them. “Playing piano helps me feel like I am accepted into the Asian piano playing community,” junior Max Tsai said. With so many Asian pianists, there has been growing competition at Ames High. Diane Wang is another especially accomplished pianist. She has been playing for the past 8 years. She first started playing piano at age seven when her parents signed her up for lessons, and is currently playing under Dr. David at ISU. Her favorite piano competition was when she was in 5th grade at Michigan. “My favorite music pieces are from Final Fantasy,” Wang said. “They make me happy when I play them.” She hopes that in the future piano will continue to be a hobby of hers. Year after year, many new talented students arrive, and with them come a new sensation of musical talent. This year’s freshmen class brings with them these two talented pianists. For the future they will continue to progress through music and become great pianists. When asked about the future, MacDonald said, “I want to keep winning, getting better, and having fun.”