Cameron Tretter, a 17-year-old Weeki Wachee High junior student, may just look like your everyday boy next door. Perhaps, one thing that sets him apart from others is his love for the piano. Just slightly less than a month ago, he managed to earn himself a superior rating at the state solo and ensemble competition at Jacksonville University in Florida.
The interesting part of it all is that the event he participated was actually for vocalists. “I’m an accompanist for the Weeki Wachee High School choir, and there is a competition for singers, but (also) those who play instruments with choirs,” explained Cameron, who has been playing the piano for 13 years, beginning at a very tender age of just 4 years old. In fact, the reason he picked up piano was because his extracurricular options were limited due to health reasons.
It all started one fine day when he was out together with his mother, Christina Tretter, when he noticed and began experimenting with a piano. “From that moment on, he was hooked,” she stated. After that, his parents decided to purchase a used piano at $75 to see how far his interest would take him. Obviously, it took him to rather great heights as he is still hooked on it. The only difference is that he has a much better piano now.
For approximately seven years, he has been attending private lessons at the Porto School of Music in Spring Hill with Joe Porto. “He’s met and actually gone beyond my expectations. If he pursues and does what I want him to do, he should be able to walk into any university,” said a very impressed Joe. As of now, Cameron is set on going to college. However, the issue he has right now is deciding between piano and aeronautical engineering. Obviously, these are two very different choices at extreme ends. It also means that a different school would be involved. If he decides to go ahead with music, then he would like to attend the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest. However, if he chooses to head over for engineering, he intends to go to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which, he pointed out, also has a good music program. Regardless of his future, he mentioned that he will always play the piano. “I’d be the most depressed person without it,” he added. For the story, check it out here.
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