April 2020 Member Spotlight - Megan Kuhl

[Chris W]

Hey everyone,

Hope you are all having a good week!

So we have come to that time again for the Member Spotlight - for this month it goes to.....

Megan Kuhl!

Megan posts regularly in the Facebook community group and has made great progress with her piano playing.  She encourages  other members with their piano playing as well as participating in many of the challenges in the Facebook group. Well done Megan for this well deserved Member Spotlight!

 

1. Where are you from? 

Born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky and still there. 😊

2. When did you start playing piano? 
    
I started when I was around 3 (so I probably have a head start on most, haha!).

3. What got you interested in learning music?

My mom could play and I wanted to learn the songs she was playing, which she had to laugh at because I was only 3.  But sure enough, she would show me how to play a section, and I could do it (both hands), and she was a little freaked out!  She tried to get me piano lessons right away, but the teacher my older sister and brother were taking from wouldn’t take me until I could read.  So I finally started lessons around 5 and took for 10 years (from a few different teachers along the way).  The main reason I could pick up so quickly though so young was because I can play by ear like my grandmother could.  So most of my life I hated piano lessons, but loved just playing whatever I heard on the radio by ear.
    

4. What is your favorite style of piano music? 
    
I’ve always most enjoyed playing ballads, mostly songs from Disney movies or musicals.  But lately, I’ve really wanted to learn jazz improv – hence my PWJ membership. 😊

5. Do you have any favorite pieces to play?
    
Not really, I go through phases.  Currently, my kids are watching Frozen II so I’ve been playing all that music, ha!  It really is quite good though!

6. What has most helped you most in improving as a pianist?
    
Growing up I always felt like I learned the most when I just played by ear any and every song I could think of.  I would just chip away until it sounded good to me.  What is helping me improve most now is doing foundation courses and learning many jazz basics that I didn’t know before – i.e., actually learning more theory instead of my usual willy-nilly ear playing!

7. Do you have any tips for other PWJ members?
    
Take part in the community – that is a huge motivation to stick with it!  Find a course or song you are excited about and will follow through to the end on.

8. What is your favorite part of the PWJ Membership?
    
It is twofold – first, Jonny!  His talent is just incredible and the fact that he teaches SO well and we have access to his personalized feedback on the facebook page and in monthly assessments is just SO incredible!  Second, the community is AMAZING, as you all know!  The encouragement and motivation and frankly just overall kindness is really fantastic and unparalleled to any other group I’ve been in.

9. What are your future music goals?

I want to have a repertoire of jazz music (including the ability to do improv) under my belt that I can play any time, maybe even for events.  I love nothing more than a date night with my husband somewhere with live jazz music and a cocktail, so I started thinking – why is there this big black hole in my piano learning when it comes to jazz?  I need to learn!  So that’s my goal.

10. Do you have any words you try to live by or a favorite quote?

I’m a firm believer in the Bible and while there are so many good verses, I find Romans 12:12 to be good to live by whether I’m in a hard time or things are going great – “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”  
 

 

[Joe S]

🥳🥳🥳Congratulations Megan! Well deserved!😀 And love your choice of Bible verses! 😀✝️🛐

[Paul Toal]

Many congratulations. It was great reading about your musical journey and your future aspirations. 😃

[Steve West]

Congratulations Megan!  I've always enjoyed your playing and am so impressed by how you can play by ear.  That is really a special talent!  Best wishes with everything you want to achieve with jazz.  

[Jonny May]

@Megan K, congratulations on getting the April spotlight! You deserve the recognition for your constant encouragement and support to our other members in the community.

I really enjoyed reading your responses! As a fellow Christian, I can relate to the importance of scripture in our lives. That's a beautiful verse and definitely something to always remember. And I have no doubt that you will reach your jazz ambitions with how hard I see you work. Someday soon, I think you'll be up on that stage playing jazz music 😉 Thank you for making our community shine! 💙 

[Rachel L]

Congrats!  Well deserved.

 

[Emma Collingwood]

Congratulations Megan! I always enjoy listening to you play. Nice to get to know you better 😀

[Megan K]

On 4/9/2020 at 5:20 PM, Jonny May said:

@Megan K, congratulations on getting the April spotlight! You deserve the recognition for your constant encouragement and support to our other members in the community.

I really enjoyed reading your responses! As a fellow Christian, I can relate to the importance of scripture in our lives. That's a beautiful verse and definitely something to always remember. And I have no doubt that you will reach your jazz ambitions with how hard I see you work. Someday soon, I think you'll be up on that stage playing jazz music 😉 Thank you for making our community shine! 💙 

Thanks, Jonny! 

[Ido B]

Congratulation on the member spotlight, Megan!!  I enjoyed reading you responses and always enjoy your videos!

[Yvonne Y]

3 yrs old 😱😱?! Yeah, I’d say that earned you a leg up!! So sweet that you wanted to do what your mom was doing at the piano. I wanted that for my kids but they have not been as willing. Now one is almost 9 and the other 11! This year they’re homeschooling so piano will be part of the music curriculum.  Thank goodness for Jonny and this community. I’m glad you’re a part of it! 
 

[Dina M]

Congrats Megan!