Selma Chicco

Selma Chicco

My hero is Selma Chicco, my piano professor. I choose her because even if she is not a celebrity, she is a true hero because of her great sacrifice, strong will and perseverance. At first I wasn't sure who to choose, because I never had a hero in my life I guess. I always had my own aim and I just knew what person I should be like. But I can't say that I have ever had a hero which was for example some famous movie star, singer or politician. I imagined for a moment who I really admire and why. And then I found out that the One was my piano professor.

She was born on 12th of September in Koper. She started playing piano very late for that time, at the age of 10, but she felt immediately a great love for this instrument. Strong will and practice made her better and better. She improved her knowledge very quickly and already at the age of 15 she knew that this was what she would dedicate her life to. She wanted to became a professional pianist, to give concerts all over the world, to show this strong connection and love to this instrument and she was promising also, to became one of the best pianists in the world.

In 1990, when she was already on Music Academy (her professor was Dubrovka Tomšič Srebotnjak – the best Slovenian pianist), she was practicing for a very important competition. Months she practiced for many ours a day and she overloaded her right hand. In the main time when her right hand was resting, she practiced with her other hand (as we pianist know, our left hand is worse, slower then the right). She saw an opportunity to improve it, so she exaggerated, she practiced too much and injured this one too, but this time it was permanent. She demolished her hand so seriously that she couldn’t play the piano anymore. She had to rest for long 9 years and she waste her chance of making dream come true, of becoming professional pianist.

Disappointed and hurt, she started teaching instead in Music School Koper. Ambitious, like she was, she demanded high level of playing. It was obvious for her that her students must play in the best possible way. Younger students didn’t like her very much because of this severe and hard way of teaching music. But with time she got used to it, she accepted life as it was and chose a new aim. She shared her way of feeling music with us, her students, and now she is teaching us how to share the music with others. She always says that music is the most beautiful language, it tells you everything what you need to know and it's filled up with all strong feelings. It brings happiness, joy, passion, friendship, everything what people need to make the world be better.

She is now optimistic, happy and full of energy and passion for music. Her students are participating in many competitions and they’re receiving high rewards. She really made something with getting up on her feet again, that’s what makes her my hero.