Musical Explorations: The Magical Creativity in Nikolai Medtner's Fairy Tales
I have been practicing a bit of Medtner for my upcoming concert in a couple weeks at Miami University and for my recording project of his complete solo piano works. I figured now would be a good opportunity to circle back and discuss a significant work in his compositional output: Fairy Tales. If you have not done so already, check out my previous post on Medtner, where I talk about the inspirations of the recording project as well as some interesting stories about this forgo
Reviving Old Works: What to Expect and Not Expect
I am currently preparing for my faculty concert at Miami University next month. Part of the program will include Brahms Sonata in C Major, Op. 1, a work that has been with me for a very long time. I first learned it during my college days at Juilliard and later at the Cleveland Institute of Music. It has accompanied me in countless recitals, juries, auditions, and competitions. In 2014, I recorded the Sonata as part of an all-Brahms disc for Centaur Records, which was release
Concert Recap: Weekend at Bach Festival and Competition at Hesston College
It was a busy weekend full of wonderful activities that included performing, judging, and learning from my distinguished colleagues about J.S. Bach. Firstly, I love performing at Festivals. It is a great opportunity to meet like-minded people, hear about other creative endeavors, and learn from other colleagues. I always stress to my students to be curious and possess the burning desire to always learn more. Last weekend was a great opportunity to do just that. On Friday nig
Protest Music: Rzewski, Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues
As I mentioned in last week’s post, I am interested in works that are programmatic, pieces that contain a story, because I believe that the inherent purpose of music is to convey and express certain emotions. To this end, I also have a penchant for protest music—works that comment on social and political issues. Protest music has a long history of connecting and highlighting important issues with our daily lives. We saw this with the rise of anti-war songs during the Vietnam
