This past Friday, John Champe hosted their annual talent shows. Students at Champe got to watch the talents of there many peers such as dancing, singing, or even playing an instrument. Just before the end of school, the winners were announced. Taking first place was Alex Phan. Phan, who is a sophomore at Champe, played a piece on the piano called Toccata by Khachaturian. Lexie Tenny sang and won second. In third place came Ethan Kimrey, a senior at Champe, who performed an original rap piece.

“Whenever I’m playing on a piano in front of an audience, sometimes I forget there even is an audience. I just “get in the zone,” for a lack of a better term. I become one with the music.”

Phan said that even though he was in his ‘zone’, he could still hear the crowd cheering him on ‘like never before’. He had never felt so supported and alive before. Once they called out his name he was surprised, he wasn’t expecting to place in the talent show, let alone first. After watching the other acts he was amazed at all of his peers and winning wasn’t really on his mind. Phan says that he was glad that he was able to show his piano skills and that people can remember his as ‘the guy that can play the piano.’