Jess DiCaprio, from Colchester, described music as a passion, not a profession.
A former student of The Colne Community School and Colchester Sixth Form College, she has played the violin since childhood and began learning piano in Year 4 after convincing her parents to let her take lessons.
She turned 18 in July.
Jess said: “I have been playing the violin since I was five years old.
“My violin teacher noticed that before every lesson I would always be drawn to her piano and try playing it.
“I kept asking my parents if I could have piano lessons, but they felt learning two instruments at such a young age would be too much, and there was also the cost to consider.
“My great aunt and uncle, Hazel and David, saw how much I loved playing their piano whenever I visited them in Newcastle upon Tyne.
“They kindly offered to pay for my lessons, and that’s how my piano journey began.”
She composes simply for enjoyment and hopes her music brings a sense of calm and reflection to others.
Her piano teacher, Richard Lawrence of Elmstead Market, is also a neoclassical composer and has encouraged her to share her music with the world.
Mr Lawrence continues to support her with recording and production.
Jess said: “He encouraged me to develop my ideas and gave me the confidence to share them with other people.
“He always said that even if only a handful of people listened, it was still worth putting your music out there because it might mean something to someone.
“That really stayed with me.”
Her first piece was scheduled for release in January 2025 but was delayed until February 2025 due to distributor issues.
The response was overwhelmingly positive.
Jess said: “Once it was finally released, though, the response was amazing.
“I received so many lovely messages of support and congratulations, and it was even featured in my old secondary school’s newsletter, despite the fact I’d already moved on to sixth form college.
“That made me feel really proud.”
She describes her creative process as relaxed and unstructured.
Jess said: “I don’t really have a set process because I don’t like forcing myself to write.
“If I do that, it starts to feel like work rather than something I enjoy.”
She often shares early ideas with Mr Lawrence, who helps her develop them further.
Nature plays a big role in her inspiration.
She spends time outdoors in and around Colchester, taking photographs that often become the cover art for her pieces.
Balancing music with A-levels was manageable, she said, because composing is a way for her to switch off and relax.
Though she was nervous about sharing her work, especially since neoclassical piano isn’t widely popular among her peers, the feedback has been encouraging.
Jess describes her music as peaceful, relaxing, and reflective.
She hopes listeners feel calm and relaxed, even if just for a few moments.
Her biggest inspiration is Mr Lawrence, who has released more than 100 compositions worldwide.
Jess said: “He’s incredibly passionate about music and has supported me throughout my composing journey.
“He’s inspired me to believe in my own music and to have the confidence to share it.”
She encourages other young composers to share their work, even if they aren’t ready to put themselves fully in the spotlight.
Looking ahead, Jess plans to study business at Essex University but will continue composing and releasing music alongside her studies.
All nine of her original pieces are currently available on major streaming platforms.
Jess currently has more than 1,000 monthly listeners and her song Never Ending has over 73,000 streams on Spotify.
Her music is also available to stream through Amazon Music.