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Valley pianist and child prodigy opens new music school in AZ

Erin Hales was one of those child prodigies that you only see on TV.

At 3, she had identified a passion for music, and by 5, she was training with acclaimed piano instructor, Hong Zhu. At 17, the Phoenix native was awarded a scholarship to study piano full time. 

Hales’ unique approach to classical keyboard technique has made her standout among her peers and she has performed throughout the U.S. and across Europe.

Recently, though, she returned home to the Valley, where she’s opened her own music school and teaches young musicians piano and music theory. She just released  a new recording of J.S. Bach last month. 

The Show joined Hales at the My First Piano Recital Hall in Mesa to talk more about the path her career has taken her.

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Lauren Gilger, host of KJZZ's The Show, is an award-winning journalist whose work has impacted communities large and small, exposing injustices and giving a voice to the voiceless and marginalized.