Jacksonville student wins performance at Carnegie Hall

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — For Katie Carlson, playing the piano has become an outlet for stress and anxiety.

“I love music in general,” Carlson said. “I think the piano is a very beautiful instrument and it’s fun to just bang on things. When I pound the piano it relieves my pressure and anxiety.”

While it serves as an outlet for anxiety, Carlson discovered a natural talent for it.

She began playing the piano when she was four years old. Carlson would perform recitals for families and friends. Now at 15 years old, she has won several piano competitions in Florida.

“I practice every day,” Carlson said. “Recently, I’ve been getting towards the two-hour time mark.”

Her family moved to Jacksonville several years ago. Now, she is a sophomore at Stanton College Preparatory School. Her currently music teacher is Mary Lou Wesley Krosnick. Her latest win put her on the big stage in New York City.

“I’ve never entered these competitions regularly,” Carlson said. “It’s only my second one that I’ve ever done. So I was really excited, I screamed.”

Carlson was recorded playing “Perpetual Motion” on the piano. They entered it in the International Music Competition. Carlson won first place for her age group in the open category. It gave her an opportunity to perform in front of a live audience at Carnegie Hall on December 22.

“It’s a really big deal because this hall has special acoustics that are unique around the world,” She said. “It’s unmatched, it’s really cool.”

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