RILEY RAINS / ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

“It’s nine o’clock on a Saturday,” and in the  Hahn University Center (UCs), there stands a grand piano. Tucked between walls, open  windows and busy staircases, the instrument fills study areas with serene music – a pleasant distraction for students cramming for exams and rushing to class. One of the many musicians who plays this piano has coined a nickname known around campus: “The Piano Man.” 

USD first-year Christoph Kasper was born and raised in Boston, Mass. 

“I decided to come to San Diego because I’ve lived on the East Coast my whole life and just wanted to get a break from the East,” Kasper explained. 

Kasper’s parents are both immigrants: his mother is from Brazil and his   father grew up in Germany.   Kasper’s  father plays  guitar, but other than that,   neither of  his parents were active musicians. “The Piano Man” explained the origins of his talents despite this fact.

“My parents were pretty adamant about me learning an instrument growing up because they said it’s good for the development of the brain,” Kasper said. “I had lessons from kindergarten up until sixth grade.”

 A study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information confirmed Kasper’s parents’ claim. Researcher Ewa Miendlarzewska, a neuroscience specialist, described her findings.

“Children who undergo musical training have better verbal memory,    second    language pronunciation accuracy, reading ability and executive functions,” Miendlarzewska wrote. “Learning to play an instrument as a child may even predict academic performance and IQ in young adulthood.”

The scientific reasoning behind his beginnings came full circle when Kasper decided to study neuroscience and biology on the pre-med track at USD. Including his dedication to his studies, “The Piano   Man” also enjoys playing basketball, going to the gym and gardening with his dad. 

‘The Piano Man’ serenades Toreros with covers from popular artists such as Daniel Caesar and Bruno Mars. Hailey Howell/The USD Vista

However, Kasper wasn’t always drawn to the notes of a piano. After he and his family moved to Canada during his middle school years, he drifted away from his craft. 

“I took a break,” Kasper explained. “I had to stop and I also just  lost the love of it because my parents turned it into a chore. I just stopped playing as much.” 

Kasper moved back to Boston before his freshman year in high school. After some time apart  from the instrument, “The Piano Man” eventually stretched his fingers across the  black and white keys for a quite romantic reason. 

“I picked  it up  again, actually, because I wanted to impress this girl,” Kasper blushed. “I learned ‘Die With a Smile’ by Bruno  Mars. It worked, and I guess I just kept it going.”

It has been about a year and half since “The Piano Man” returned to music, and covering  Bruno   Mars aren’t the only tunes filling the UC’s.

Kasper prides himself on learning well-known songs so that students can relax while listening  to    their   favorite   artists. 

“I tend to learn songs or I do my best to learn songs that generally people will know,” Kasper explained. “Just because I  love it   when people walk by and they recognize the song   and I get that little   bit  of affirmation.” 

In coming to USD, one of his requirements was that the school had a piano for public use. Kasper was excited to use the instrument, although his first time playing was a bit intimidating.

“I was nervous, and my leg would bounce as I played,” Kasper  shared.  “But  as   time went by that stopped and I realized  that   it   isn’t  that   serious. I began just enjoying playing for myself, people smiling or applauding was just a bonus.” 

Walking through the UC’s, you might   hear   a soft  whisper of Kasper’s newest learned songs: Daniel Caesar’s ‘Best Part’ or Coldplay’s ‘Viva La Vida.’ As students prepare for exam season, they can trust that tunes from ‘The Piano Man’ will calm their nerves with beautiful music.

Christoph Kasper fills the UCs with beautiful music. Riley Rains/The USD Vista