Fiona Carter has been playing the piano since the age of five.
As a well known and loved performer at the Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre Company, her piano playing is just one of many talents, one she sometimes pulls out on stage.
So when an email was sent to the Theatre seeking amateur pianists to tell their stories, Ms Carter responded.
From an email came a five page application, then videos of her playing the piano and video interviews.
It wasn’t until much later that Ms Carter realised that original email came from the ABC’s The Piano TV show producers.
“I had no idea that it was a TV show. Apparently it is international. I thought it was some doco that just detailed people’s stories about their experience with the piano,” she said.
“I didn’t even know it was an audition until I received an email congratulating me! That was August 2024.”
The Piano, a six-part series hosted by Amanda Keller, was released in early May and invited everyday pianists to perform in public locations like major train stations.
The premise of the show was to “explore how the piano has the power to transform the lives of everyday Australians, creating refuge, joy and friendship via the touch of a key”, an ABC release about the series stated.
Initially told she would be filming at Flinders Street Station, this had to change because of the football schedule. Instead Ms Carter went to Sydney.
“My husband and I flew to Sydney and spent the weekend filming with the other 13 pianists, who were all just lovely. Such a special opportunity to share our stories with each other. I feel like I made 13 new friends,” she said.
The nerves about filming and playing in a public place were nearly non-existent until the mention of an interview.
“During the Saturday we found out that Amanda Keller would be interviewing us. Amanda Keller. I have admired her for ages. And that’s when I got really nervous. Before that I was just excited to be involved,” Ms Carter said.
“And then you could have knocked me down with a feather when we found that Andrea Lam and Harry Connick Jr had been watching and listening to us. They were so gracious and encouraging. They spoke briefly with each one of us at the close of the filming.
“It was an incredible experience and I’m so glad I answered that first email.”
Ms Carter later found out the show had 1600 applications and 70 people were chosen to perform.
Musicality and performing was somewhat of a family trait, passed on from her grandmother and mother, which flowed onto Ms Carter’s daughters and nieces too.
“Mum used to play for us six girls to sing. We performed as the Williams Family Singers. Dad couldn’t carry a tune, but loved hearing us all play and sing. His father was a pianist too,” Ms Carter said.
“Some of my earliest memories are of lying in bed at night hearing mum play the piano.”
Recalling how her six siblings and herself would spend three and a half hours each Sunday afternoon learning the piano with teacher Miss Hole, Ms Carter said she was grateful to have had those lessons.
“She had two grand pianos and an upright in one room, and across the hall she had two uprights in another room. One of us would be on a piano in each room at any one time, the rest of us would be doing musical theory.
“She would move between the two rooms. Woe betide you if she found you weren’t working. We all went through AMEB exams, up to various levels.
“She was an inspiring teacher, an incredible musician and a lovely lady. I feel incredibly fortunate that mum and dad found her.”
Ms Carter plays each week at church, has played for old-time singalongs in Seville, rehearsed and performed old-time singalongs with ARK Theatre and performed in several plays where she had to play and sing as part of her character, not to mention the appearances at Christmas Carols in the Park events.
But her love of performing doesn’t match the simple task of practicing at home with her grandmother’s baby grand piano.
“I love the structure and discipline of practicing the piano. The world goes away when my heart and my hands combine to make music.”
