For James Matthews, a 24-year-old music performance student, piano has allowed him to go from sleeping in a practice room to performing on the stage of New York City's Carnegie Hall.
Matthews told WEAR-TV he has loved the piano since he was three years old. With his parents not around, he graduated high school and enrolled in Florida Southern College, where he would sleep in the school's 24-hour piano studio.
One of his professors found him one day and quickly learned of Matthews' situation.
"I ended up sleeping wherever I could sleep for about a year and a half," said Matthews. "He found me sleeping in his studio and pretty much got me out of that situation, found me a different school to go to where I had a dorm and a roof over my head."
He is now attending the University of West Florida on a music scholarship. Since transferring, he has been accepted into American Protégé International piano and strings competition as an honorable mention winner. On Sunday, April 20, Matthews will perform at the prestigious Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall.
"It's a dream come true. I never would have thought in a million years I see myself going on that stage, and it just means the world to me" said Matthews. "I really don't know what's going to happen with it or anything, but I'm just going to go and try my best and stay focused."
New York City is already a national hub for arts and culture, but on the Carnegie Hall stage, he will gain more than just exposure. Several musicians will have the chance to study Matthews' performance, technique and much more extensively.
Matthews has an online crowdsourcing page for anyone who wants to donate to cover his travel expenses from Florida to New York. People are also welcome to offer cheaper alternative travel methods.
