Meet Jeffery Ou

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jeffery Ou a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jeffery, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?

Thanks for having me!

I think I developed my confidence and self-esteem mainly just by doing, and by putting thoughts and plans into action. Have I had ideas and thoughts that seemed crazy from the outset as a pianist and person? Sure. My decision to try for America’s Got Talent as a teenager was an example. Had I not grasped the opportunity when I did, and stuck it out until I was finally sent home after the semifinals, I probably would not have discovered a dimension of myself in ways this experience allowed. Another self-esteem booster for me is persistence. I can be pretty stubborn, and when I set a goal musically or personally I like to see it through completely, with no shortcuts. Whether it’s learning a new piece or recipe, or something as trivial as hitting a certain number of steps in a day, I like to make sure I do it thoroughly and to the best of my ability.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I am a classically trained pianist. My life has many facets. I play solo recitals and concerts, as well as collaborate with other musicians in a variety of performances. Occasionally I have the opportunity to perform as a concerto soloist with orchestra, which I love to do and is a favorite activity. I also work as a collaborative pianist with many, many fine arts programs in public and private schools throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. In the past couple of years I have also had the privilege of speaking in schools and motivating the next generation of students and scholars in the pursuit of their own dreams in life. I serve as an adjunct professor of piano at Cedar Valley College in Lancaster as well as teach lessons out of my home in Lewisville (feel free to contact me with lessons inquiries: [email protected]), and have taught masterclasses at Booker T. Washington HSPVA, the arts magnet school in Dallas. In the summer of 2009 when I was 18 years old I was a contestant on season 4 of America’s Got Talent, where I was extraordinarily fortunate to advance to the Top 48 Quarterfinals and Top 20 Semifinals.

I think the one thing that drives and excites me the most about what I do is getting to share with others, and building relationships with people of all backgrounds and cultures through music as a universal language. It is a very personal journey that I began as a very young child, and to this day I continue that journey of learning, discovery, connection and communication with as diverse a society as I can.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I would say education was and is a HUGE part of my journey as a musician, both in my deciding to make it a career as well as how I was brought up as an individual. My teachers and the knowledge they shared with me are the nucleus of how I identify with music and how I have shaped my relationship with what I do. Especially in this day and age, I sometimes feel like education and schooling are increasingly and unfortunately commoditized, when in reality it is a privilege to attend university and to develop under experts in one’s field, regardless of what that is.

Another aspect that has been impactful for me has been curiosity. About music, about different genres of music, about different composers, everything. One thing always leads to another when you’re on a journey of discovery, and you grow a lot as an individual.

I would also say persistence is another significant trait, and probably the most impactful. There have been many setbacks in my career as a musician, and I have considered pivoting more than once. But when I find myself in an uncertain point I like to reflect back and remember anything that brought about the smallest encouragement – whether it was tackling a large project, the good people I’ve met at different stages in life, or simply hearing the notes of a work written centuries ago but that still speak profoundly, and which I as a musician have the responsibility to recreate – and I am reminded of the purpose and privilege I have in doing what I do.

If I had any advice I would say to anyone at any stage in their life or career: enjoy every moment of it, and don’t take for granted what you do or have. Seek and embrace a solid education, and really try your best to max it out. We are never such that we cannot learn more, or discover more, or develop more. Establish good relationships with your mentors and teachers who know your field well, and consult with them regularly to help you stay on track or just with any questions you may have about anything. Finally, pursue your passion and craft relentlessly, and always ALWAYS approach what you do with respect and integrity. To have talent alone is not enough and proves nothing – it is only an indicator of an area that has potential, no more. Nurture and care for your attributes as you would for your physical and mental health.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

I welcome collaborations with anyone and everyone whom would like to be in touch! Feel free to email me at [email protected] with lessons inquiries, performance inquiries or speaking inquiries. You may also find me on my socials on Facebook and instagram (@ou.jeffery). I look forward to connecting!

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