What the piano means to me: Jeremy Fernandez and Megan Burslem

Australia Broadcast Center

20-06-2025

Like many of us, ABC presenters Jeremy Fernandez's and Megan Burslem's first memories of the piano are from their childhood lessons.
Fernandez started learning when he was seven and played until he was in his early twenties.
He still plays from time to time, on the piano his parents bought when he started learning. It's served three generations in the family home.
In the small town of Lakes Entrance, Victoria, Burslem had lessons from the wife of the local Anglican priest.
Burslem's instrument of choice went on to be the viola, but the piano would remain an important companion during her music studies.
As the pair get ready to host a celebration of one of Australia's favourite instruments in the Classic 100 in Concert, we asked them what the piano means to them.
Jeremy Fernandez: …it arriving in the driveway of our home, and watching it being heaved off a truck by a group of men who prised it out of its wooden casing and positioned it in the lounge room where I would learn to play.
I remember gazing up at the hulking mass of rosewood, and black and white keys, filled with excitement and trepidation at the thought of conquering this glimmering beast with my feet literally off the ground.
Megan Burslem: ...Suzuki piano lessons from Mrs Lenthall, who was the local Anglican priest's wife.
I used to go to the front room of their house and have piano lessons on their old upright piano. And I could never read a note. But I pretended that I could.
Jeremy: ...I come from quite a musical family of people who played everything from the piano, guitar, ukelele, and violin, to spoons and buckets for family 'jam sessions' during which everyone would dance.
It always struck me that the piano had such an enormous range, and it's still my favourite form of expression.
Megan: ...It's an instrument that has guided me in the world of classical music in so many different iterations.
We often play alongside the piano when we're learning our instruments as a viola player, and then I fell in love with piano music when it came to piano concertos.
Jeremy: ...To me, the piano can mimic the sound of a teardrop, perfect stillness, or joyful exuberance.
Like any relationship, there's frustration too, when your fingers and the keys are out of sync. I've banged on my piano keys out of annoyance many times, but we've always managed to work things out.
Megan: ...I think [the piano] can bring us together because it's an instrument that we can gather around.
I feel it's an instrument that says 'Come to me. You're going to have a great time.'
Jeremy: ...hearing a piano in concert with a full orchestra, one of my favourite things.
As we learned from the Classic 100: Piano, some of Australia's favourite pieces for piano wouldn't be the same without a soaring orchestral treatment.
Megan: ...Australian music. There is something so special about hearing music that is created in the here and now and music that reflects who we are.
I'm very excited to hear the music of Nat Bartsch, the newest composer in the Classic 100: Piano. I deeply relate to her style of composing.
The Classic 100 in Concert premieres at 7.30pm on Saturday 21 June. Watch on ABC TV and ABC iview and listen on ABC Classic and the ABC listen app.