Faît accompli!

Yesterday was a great day.

I got to share music with new friends and colleagues, who, a year ago, I had just met. One year later, we were rehearsing, forming our own “community” as a vocal department of five, and then - of course - properly celebrating afterwards with a Chinese food reception! 

Heartfelt thanks to everyone - my faculty partners, the faculty there to support, the crew of Keller Hall, the audio and video crew, my family for cooking the reception … 

There will be more photos, along with beautiful sound and video forthcoming! 

In the meantime, enjoy photos of the “celebration” afterwards. 

Brahms, the mysterious

My faculty recital is coming up this coming Sunday. The program is:

Britten, Canticle III 

Brahms, Sonata in f minor, Opus 120, no 1

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Journey, Lori Laitman

Vocalise-Étude, Olivier Messiaen

Spanisches Liederspiel, Opus 74, Robert Schumann

What has been interesting is that: most of this program is "new" to me, meaning the first time performing it in public. The oldest piece on the program is a *very* old one. I've known it literally half my life: I first learned of its existence, and learned it musically, on clarinet as a high school student. In years following, I would learn it and play it many times with different clarinetists and violists (Brahms himself transcribed the piece for viola after the initial performances and publications).

Why is the oldest, most familiar piece (to me) still posing questions? 

Brahms would have still been working with a piano that isn't quite like the modern concert grand. I've had the immense privilege of playing a piano much like his 1867 Streicher. That sound wasn't quite as robust or resonant as what a pianist usually plays when either of the Opus 120 sonatas are programmed. 

The questions I'm still asking (these are in no particular order):

1. How can I still find more colors and be more imaginative with voicing?

2. Are there any places that I can still be using more rubato?

3. Why has he written some passage the way that he has? 

There is one passage in particular that perplexes me. It falls in the middle of the development, and Brahms is really "in the wrong key" - sharp minor v. (!) The rhythmic scancion, syncopation, series of tied notes and sequences, and pianistic difficulty - something was really "up" with him in this section. I'm trying to poke around and see if I can't find a copy of the autograph. What I'm wondering if this gave him as much compositional trouble as it gives interpreters and technicians. 

In the meantime, I will keep wondering, and keep practicing.

Perseverance, Part 4

This will be the first in a series of post about the Lukens Piano Trio tour to Georgia (and two stops in Pennsylvania).

Last night, the Lukens Piano Trio performed at Muhlenberg College as part of their

Sunday Evening Series. Our wonderful current-and-founding cellist, David Moulton, is on faculty there, so he was instrumental in organizing our event there last night. 

(Yes, that pun was intended).

It was terrific to do this "send-off" concert before departing Thursday morning. 

Our program for these concerts is:

Beethoven, Trio Opus 1, no. 1 in E-flat major

Jennifer Higdon, Piano Trio

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Brahms, Trio in c minor, Opus 101

When David gave the opening remarks last night, he stated that "this is our first trip out of town." It is! We've been playing together since 2005, and we've mostly stayed within 2 hours of Philadelphia (NJ, Lehigh Valley, Philadelphia, NYC, Delaware, suburban NYC). 

We are headed to the Harry Jacobs Chamber Music Series of Augusta, Georgia at the end of this week. 

Why this post is labeled in the "perseverance" series is attributed to our "longevity." I remember times with this trio where we were playing in church basements, or other events where we had to lift a piano, or play to only five people (three of which were my immediate family). Those days, perhaps, are behind us. Last night's crowd was terrific, surprisingly great attendance! 

We've dealt with the difficulties of coordinating schedules, distance, programming, and planning in the cracks of a symphony job (David), a full-time business in antiques (Michael), building a collaborative career (Kristin), a doctorate out-of-state (Kristin), a wedding (Kristin), and other "life" happenings. We've stuck through the five-year itch that often kills new businesses. 

And now, we can continually bank on our own rehearsal process, practice techniques, and the ability to practice individually, with the gruop sound in mind, yielding better concentrated rehearsal efforts before concerts.

Stay tuned for more reflections on this process. 

PHOTO: The last bit of autumn that I was able to capture during my trip south. When I return in a week and a half, these leaves will most likely have fallen.