A Little Something Extra

Thirteen-year-old Hannah Carroll began piano lessons at age eight and has been studying under Irina Gorin for the past four years. Hannah has been a finalist and winner of many piano competitions including The World Piano Competition in Cincinnati, Ohio, which earned her the invitation to play at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall for two consecutive years. In 2009, Hannah won first place in the Muncie Symphony Orchestra and the New World Youth Orchestra’s Young Artist Competition (junior divisions) and came in second in the 2009 Michael Ben and Illene Komisarow Maurer Young Musicians Contest, which earned her the chance to play with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra this weekend at Conner Prairie.

I watched Hannah rehearse the Grieg Piano Concerto today and had the chance to speak to her afterward. There’s never enough room in our program books to include everything about a guest artist. So I took a little time to get to know Hannah, the remarkably talented pianist and delightful young woman from Westfield, Indiana. 

Your first orchestra appearance was with the New World Youth Orchestra. What was that like? It was neat! I enjoyed myself up there. All the musicians were young and the sound was so different as opposed to playing with an accompanist.

Tell me a little bit about your family.

I have an older sister named Abigail, who enjoys playing piano and clarinet. Abigail also sings and has a beautiful voice. My younger brother Jacob plays trumpet and was in a band once. We are home-schooled.  My favorite subjects are English and Literature and my least favorite subject is Math.

What’s your favorite piece to play?

The Grieg Concerto I am playing with the ISO this weekend.

What’s your least favorite piece to play?

A Bach Fugue is very difficult. I like listening to Bach but playing it is hard.

What’s your favorite piece you have yet to play?

Franz Liszt’s “La Campanella.”

What’s your favorite piece to listen to?

Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto.

What’s your dream job?

Concert pianist

If you didn’t work in music, what would you like to do?

I’d be drawing or ballet. 

Outside of classical music, what other music to you listen to?

Hymns or the music from Charlie Brown.

What is your most prized possession? 

My hands.

What is your most prized possession that you don’t have but would like to have?

A Steinway.

What piano do you have at home? 

K Kawai.

What books do you enjoy? I don’t like old books very much. I do like Jane Austen.

Name your favorite book and movie. 

Pride and Prejudice.

Where do you want to go to college? IU, Julliard or Curtis.

What other instrument would you like to play other than piano? Cello (or I would sing).

What else do you enjoy doing while at home?

I like cake decorating. My mom makes the cake and icing; I then decorate it. I decorated my own cake for my birthday. It was decorated in flowers.

Do you have a nickname?

Hannah Banana from Indiana