Valley teen to be featured on Fox network’s ‘The Real Winning Edge’

WASILLA — We first met Micah McKinnis a little more than a year ago, a 17-year-old piano prodigy whose talent was quickly evolving.

McKinnis won the Alaska Piano Competition in May 2010, an impressive feat for any musician. For the home-educated pianist, the win culminated an even greater triumph. The contents of the family’s home — including their three pianos — was consumed by a fire just three weeks before the competition.

The family was displaced and McKinnis was forced to practice on borrowed pianos.

It’s that unique level of concentration and dedication in one so young that inspired us to tell his story then. It’s also what’s inspiring the Fox television network to do the same this coming fall. McKinnis’ story will be among several featured in the third season of “The Real Winning Edge.”

“The show is about kids from all across the nation who have gone through some adversity or some difficult circumstance and also have a talent in some regard,” said McKinnis, now an 18-year-old high school graduate who is looking forward to starting college at the University of Alaska Anchorage in the fall.

The show’s producer and a film crew recently came to the Valley to film McKinnis for the show, an experience that was unique even for a performer used to playing for large crowds and under the extreme pressure of competition. And he’s as curious as anyone else about how the show will portray him.

“Obviously, there was a lot of shooting all day that will be shrunk down into about 10 minutes, so it’ll be interesting to see what they leave in and leave out, and how it all blends together,” McKinnis said.

Filming was completed in a day, but will be presented as if more time had passed, he said, adding he had to change clothes several times.

Looking back across the past year — from the family losing everything to rebuilding to filming for the show — McKinnis said he’s learned some important lessons.

“Of course, the fire affected us adversely a lot,” he said. “Then also, there were a lot of positives that came out of it. I think it kind of brought my music to another level, because I was able to feel the music more because I could identify with the emotions.”

He also learned something that’s not on the radar of many young people — the difference between wants and needs.

“After you lose everything like that, you learn quickly, really, what are needs and what are wants. I think God used the fire to bring me to where I am today with all these things that have happened positively since.”

Those positives started nearly immediately after the fire, said his mother, Wendy McKinnis.

“One thing we learned is that all things will work together for good for those who love God,” she said. “We knew that in our minds, but didn’t quite have an understanding of that. The whole neighborhood immediately tried to do something for us, and the next day a whole group of people — I think about 14 churches were represented — came up to help us.”

Through it all, Micah’s music was one of the constants that not only bolstered the family’s spirits during a tough time, but alsobrought another level of joy to their everyday lives through his practice and playing.

“We’re blessed,” Wendy said. “The house is full of music. We have all sorts of troubles, but it’s full of music, and it fills our lives with that special touch.”

For Micah, he’s looking forward to attending college, where he’ll continue his music and pursue other studies. With two younger brothers and a younger sister — he’s the second of five children — he’s also comfortable being a role model for other youth.

“With the TV show, that’s kind of the idea, to have positive role models for teens who watch the show,” he said. “I’m not perfect in any way. I think (the attention music has brought) adds a lot more responsibility because you’re being watched and it makes it a challenge to continue on the path you started on.”

That example isn’t lost on his younger siblings, his mother said.

One life lesson stands out among all the others, Wendy said, “You can’t ever give up.”

Contact Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.