You can find student Huy Le in the basement of the music building teaching himself the piano in the soundproof practice rooms.

“Well, when I was in grade four, my parents told me that I needed to know how to play an instrument, so they sent me to learn the keyboard, until two months ago when I realized we had pianos at SFCC. I got into the practice rooms and just started to play, I inspire myself to learn the piano,” said Huy Le, a 17 year old, self-taught pianist from Saigon, Vietnam who came to Spokane through an International Exchange Student Program.

Huy recently started his second quarter at Spokane Falls and is majoring in music. Huy is a completely self-taught musician who uses YouTube video tutorials as guidelines for songs he wants to learn.

“Most students who are self-taught tend to have a more developed musical ear to hear first what they want to play, and then try to play it back with the skills they have acquired on their own,” said Rosi Guerrero, piano and theory instructor of 20 years at SFCC.

“I want to learn how to play with singing,” said Huy. “I can’t sing and play at the same time, so I’m learning to do that.”

He added that his influences for his passion for singing came from the artworks of Bruno Mars and Boyce Avenue. Bruno Mars had also generated Huy’s admiration for dancing.

For Huy, playing piano is a getaway from stress.

“I can feel free with my fingers,” said Huy. “I’ve learned some emotional songs so I find it relaxing to play at school.”

Being able to play piano in between classes gives Huy an outlet to express his affections. Not only is he a talented musician, he is also a loyal friend.

“He’s hilarious, I think. Huy is also good to people, he will listen to you,” said Joy Tran, a Vietnamese exchange student.

Joy expressed her feelings on Huy’s talent.

Although Huy has been playing for two months, his friends were introduced to his skills about one and a half months into his piano studies.

“When I listen to him, and I watch him, I can feel the enthusiasm. He had worked for 3 hours per day starting last quarter for everyday just playing the piano,” said Joy. “Only playing for two months and you can play a bunch of songs, well, I think that’s a great improvement.”

Students like Huy Le are able to play at the ​Spokane Transit Bus Plaza. This venue has a piano students can use to perform.

“Students just need to apply at STA and let admin know what times they would like to perform,” said Guerrero. “My students perform there often during the Holiday season. Churches around Spokane also welcome music in their Sunday and/or weekly programs.”