“Missing Home” Solo Piano Composition by Mbandi (Emotional Piano Music)

“Relaxing piano music or more specifically, solo piano is where it all started for me. This is a song I wrote when I was 16. I was sitting in a music classroom in college (I was not a music student so I would go in there between classes and yes I started college at 15) and outside the window was the most beautiful fresh snow covered trees. I had been been in America (from Cameroon) at the time for just 1 year and I was really missing home. The snow in Pittsburgh (where I went to college) did not help either. As I sat there, I was not thinking I want to write a relaxing piano music piece, or solo piano or even new age music. Music labels did not matter because I was consumed by a burst of sudden burst of inspiration as I thought about the home I had left behind. At this point, the song essentially wrote itself and to me it was sort of magical because up until that point, I played only very basic beginner stuff on the piano.

I had been playing for only 2 years so from what I remember, that was the first time I ever played like that. Back then I was fascinated with instruments and being an arranger/producer. I barely knew how to play the piano so arranging for other instruments was a long shot. Eventually when I got a little keyboard with all the fake instrument sounds, I tried to force a drum beat into the song, but I couldn't because the song is too free flowing and really has no constant time signature. At the time, relaxing piano music or solo piano wasn't cool enough, not to mention new age music. Over time, I left the song alone and started to appreciate it more for it's emotional heartwarming qualities. the sound of the piano is so beautiful that solo piano was the only way.

I know I have not changed the notes since I wrote it but I am sure I play it today with more feeling and musical maturity, at least I hope so, it has been 20 years.”. -