Q: I read somewhere that when you were a young musician you had a problem with your hands shaking. When you walked out on stage last Saturday at the National Arts Centre with Yo-Yo Ma and a big audience, were you a little bit unsteady?

A: Well, can I tell you the whole story? It’s true I had that problem when I was young. I took piano for 10 years. I got my Grade 9 Royal Conservatory. I had a bit of talent but never enough to think about it professionally. My big problem was that, while I didn’t appear nervous, my hands shook, which obviously was fatal for any kind of pianist. I never did that well on my exams for that reason. Indirectly, this led to where I am now because at a very early age, almost from the first time I ever gave a public speech at school, I spoke without notes so nobody would notice I was nervous.

Q: You just kept your hands at your side or in your pockets or something?

A: Yeah. Or just put them on the podium. They didn’t shake so bad that you’d notice it unless I was holding papers or something. So that was one fear. I haven’t performed music in front of a crowd since I was probably 11 years old, so I was worried, “Jeez, will this come back? Will I get this shaking?” But no. I mean, I was nervous, don’t get me wrong, but I didn’t have any hand shakes. I was just a bit stiff. Now, the band had told me—when we were rehearsing, they said, “Look, if at any point you get uneasy about the piano part, or your hands, just sing. Nobody’s going to care, just sing.” So that was the backup plan. But no, in the end my hands were okay. Continue…