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I was exposed to piano music when I was in pre-school
and even earlier to music in general.
My mother always listened to Whitney Huston, Michael Jackson...
soul and pop artists.
I went to the music school of Amsterdam
Afterwards I moved to Amstelveen and went to school there.
There were more facilities in this school.
I think that’s why I was able to develop my piano skills even better.
At the end of my high school I started to...
play on podia of different high schools.
I quickly came in contact with different people.
People like Dutch-Turkish Jazz singer Karsu Dömnez.
Her musical career is going great.
It’s because of her, that last year I was able to play
on the 29th of November in the Carnegie Hall in New York.
That is one of the holiest places for musicians on earth.
And that was the first time...
a year ago...
that I started singing on stage.
The program manager in Carnegie Hall
told me....
listen, you can sing...
This is your chance!
Go for it!
Let the American public hear what you’ve got...
and blow them away...
an Amsterdam boy from a small country.
What I feel while playing the piano is...
that I can channel all my emotions....
everything I've experienced on a day, a week or a year, whatever.....
that I can express that in my music on the piano.
As I grew older...
and as I...
started playing more jazz...
I really got into...
Herbie Hancock...
because of the way he plays his music
He's an American Jazz pianist.
I've seen him play a couple of times in The Netherlands.
And he has such a recognisable style
That's what I also want for myself.
That when I play...
anyone that listens will go like...
‘oh yeah, those are such familiar tones and tunes’.
‘This has to be Steven’s work.’
I didn't have any teachers that told me...
you need to use a certain technique.
Or you need to listen to certain tones.
It's my unique and different influences that I've had..
that formed my style into the way it is right now.
That's why I can say for certain that the way I play...
differs from...
anyone else’s style.
And that's what makes my music unique.
And I hope that people...
when they listen to my work...
or see me playing...
that they see with how much joy I do this.
And how I put my soul into it.
I keep trying to grow.
And try to keep learning new things.
Especially with collaborations like with Sangeeta...
with her real classical Indian vocals...
there are so many small technical nuances in them...
I hope to one day play in a big concert hall...
play with a big band and play an old school jazz repertoire.
From the likes of Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald...
American legends...
And bring that New York feeling back here in Amsterdam.
I hope to achieve this before I'm 30.