PENSACOLA, Fla. — A once homeless Florida college student is now realizing his dreams after placing in a piano competition that will allow him to perform at Carnegie Hall.
James Matthews, 24, sometimes slept in his instructor’s piano studio for shelter while he was a student at Florida Southern College. The professor found Matthews a temporary home and helped him enroll at Chipola College, where Matthews could afford to stay in a dorm.
After earning his associates degree, Matthews transferred to the University of West Florida.
In January, one of his instructors there suggested he submit a video of himself performing Sergei Prokofiev’s “Piano Sonata No. 7” for the 2014 American Protege International Piano and Strings Competition.
The Pensacola News Journal reports Matthews was given an honorable mention. As a prize, he will play the Weill Recital Hall at the world-renowned New York City concert venue on April 20.
“When we entered the competition, it was just taking a risk to see what would happen. (Instructor Heidi Salanki) was really happy for me, but she made sure I started practicing even more,” he said.
Matthews’ father started teaching him jazz and blues music when he was just 3-years-old. In middle school, he started with a professional piano teacher and started accompanying the school choir.
“I started reading and listening to everything I could get my hands on about piano, and it kind of just grew from there,” he said.
Matthews was homeless for nearly a year and a half after high school, but he continued with his piano studies. He practices several hours a day and credits his love of music with getting him through his darkest times.
“I always had my piano, and it’s always been my escape,” he said. “I decided if I never gave up it would get me through life, and it has. I don’t know where I’d be if it wasn’t for music.”