By Shelby Stewart
Staff Writer
Computer science and and piano performance are two passions that Harrison Lavins wasn’t willing to give up when he started college.
So far it’s paid off.
The Oakland University junior was recognized recently with his piano partner at the MaTilDa Awards ceremony. On April 16, Lavins and his partner Paige Broadworth won the Joyce Adelson Piano Ensemble award. He has been playing piano around 11 years.
“I actually started with a woman by the name of Debbie Culver who teaches piano in Ortonville,” said the Brandon Township native.
Lavins is currently double majoring in computer science and piano performance.
“I had passions for both all throughout school, and in high school when it came time to decide what I wanted to end up doing, I couldn’t let go of both,” he said. “I wanted to find a way to combine my two passions and chose to follow both.”
The pieces that he believes contributed to the award were he and Paige’s performance of a sonata by Mozart in D major, a well as Papageno! arranged by Greg Anderson.

“There’s hands crossing all over the place, she’s reaching over me, at one point Paige has to stand up to reach a note,” said Lavins.
After school, he hopes to combine his two life passions.
“I hope to teach piano, but then also find ways to combine music and technology in new and creative ways,” he said. “I actually think there are a lot of interesting ways they could be combined, like creating technology learning aids for teaching music. Make music very engaging and fun to listen to.”