The Starworld video series is published every Friday showcasing the talents of a Coppell resident. This week, Coppell High School junior pianist Mira Jiang was selected.

From age 5, Jiang has expanded her skills on the piano. Though it was her parents who wanted her to try it out, she found a love for music in the black and white keys. 

“I love the expression that goes into the pieces,” Jiang said. “If you’re having a bad day, you can sit down at a piano and let all your emotions flow into the notes.”

Jiang’s performances have dazzled audiences from Texas to Azerbaijan. In 2018, she played at a dinner for Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the United States Elin Suleymanov. Since then, she has recorded pieces for the Azerbaijan American Music Foundation, which works to expand representation for Azerbaijani composers.

Playing piano gives Jiang the opportunity to serve her community musically. For three years, she has performed in an annual recital at The Oaks at Flower Mound, an assisted living facility. The familiar experience of performing at the nursing home is as relaxing for her as it is for the residents.

“One year, I played Chopin’s ‘Fantaisie-Impromptu’ at the recital,” Jiang said. “An old man came up to me afterwards and told me how much he loved the piece. It’s cool to see how music spans generations and everyone can find a connection to it.”

Jiang practices pieces from a wide variety of musical eras and composers. Years of experimentation lead her to claim the romantic era as her favorite.

“The romantic era moves away from the standard sonatas and structural ways of playing piano,” Jiang said. “It’s all about the individual and their emotion. There’s more freedom of expression in romantic music.”

Watch The Sidekick advertising and circulation manager Trisha Atluri’s video to see Jiang performing an excerpt from Liszt’s “Sonetto 104 del Petrarca.”

Follow Trisha (@trishatluri) and @CHSCampusNews on Twitter.