One of the pianists was Tabassum Mehjabeen. She took up the piano as she was better acquainted with it than any other instrument. A BRAC University student of BBA, she plays in the afternoon and at night, after her dinner. As she says, 'For the concert I've chosen Allegro Molto by Kuhlau and Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring by JS Bach. I chose them for their melody and technical appeal.' She hopes to take up music seriously later on.

Ehtesham Shafiq is another piano enthusiast, who enjoys presenting the grandeur of western classical music. He has been learning music for over three years, and plans to continue the piano as long as he can, practicing at night or in the evenings. Ehtesham played a traditional piece, Expectation Waltz, Beautiful Dreamer by Steven Foster, Rondino by Antonio Diabelli and Minuet by Bizet. He feels that the pieces would go down well with the audience and that he could handle them appropriately. He says, 'I only have a keyboard at home, but it helps me practice.' Apart from conventional classical music, Ehtesham likes pop and rock.

Syeda Tasnima, an O Level student, says that she was influenced into learning piano by her mother. The latter had loved that genre of music as a child but had no piano of her own to practice with. She says that at school she has free periods and a piano and so she catches up with her required practice. Syeda chose Fur Elise by Beethoven, Small Fountain which is anonymous and the Boat Song by Carl Maria Von Weber. Of the pieces that she has chosen, she likes Beethoven's composition best because of its melody. She hopes to study music at the Royal School of Music in London. She likes modern music too and her favourite band is U2.

Sadia Zaman, a student of class IV, manages to fit in her music despite the other academic pressures of subjects like Maths. She chose Go Tell Aunt Roddy and Clair de la lune, Mussette, and Long long ago by Baily. Sadia says, 'I practice at least one hour every day and hope to continue with my piano even when I'm grown up.'

Atanu Borua says, 'I inherited my interest in the piano from my mother, like some others in my group. I generally play in the afternoons, and any other time that I'm free. I practice on my keyboard as I don't have a piano of my own.' He played a minuet by J S Bach and two other traditional pieces. He says that his favourite composition is Beethoven's Symphony 9. He says that along with classical music, he also likes pop and rock.

Adittya Noman went into piano music as he was lured by its sweet tones. He also felt that there were only a few good piano players in Bangladesh. 'I've chosen a piece from CPE Bach, the son of the composer JS Bach as I find it simple and yet very rhythmical and lively. My other two pieces are from Chopin and the three are truly great pieces of music.' Adittya likes pop, rock and other band music along with the classical pieces that he tries to master at his piano school.

Mehjabeen Rahman, the piano teacher, talks about the school's beginnings. 'I was a student of French at Alliance Francaise, four years ago, when the then cultural director asked me to form a school. He had heard me play at the Goethe Institut and was satisfied with my standard. My students do not manage to play as hard as they should. The minimum requirement is five hours a week. In the school, the students have 30 to 40 minute-classes once a week. The piano requires integrity, hard work and deep interest.'

Mehjabeen says that this time it was very difficult to arrange the yearly concert as many of the students had their O Level, and one of them is sick in the hospital. As the students had only a few weeks to practice, their standards were not as good as she had hoped for.

Despite such hurdles, the irresistible melody at the event made it an evening to remember.