As July is coming to an end and the days are long and hot, please enjoy these classical pieces inspired by summer: Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) Mendelssohn was just 17 years old when he composed his famous Midsummer Overture. This emotive piece tells the story of Shakespeare’s play through […]
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Hello readers! Sorry for not posting consistently over the last few weeks; I was working as a pianist at a music summer camp for middle and high schoolers, but now I’m home and ready to get back into my own music-making! This week on the blog, I want to share some of my favorite pieces […]
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I had the opportunity to attend a concert put on by the Oregon State University Chamber Choir this weekend, so today’s blog post is going to discuss some of the highlights from the show. There was so much wonderful music ranging from Bach to Penderecki that it was difficult to narrow down which pieces to […]
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We’ve looked at the musical development of minimalism in the mid-20th century (part 1). Then we discussed four minimalist-music pioneers and their contributions to the style (part 2). Today, let’s talk about the impact minimalism has had on 21st-century music and how minimalism continues to make a statement in modern ways. And let me tell […]
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Last week we discussed how minimalism became a musical movement in the mid-1900s. After decades of experimental music and a shift away from traditional melodic and harmonic ideas, a group of American composers aimed to return to the simple and – as a result – created minimalism. Today, let’s take a look at some* of […]
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How do you make a film score memorable? Aside from catchy themes and exciting rhythms, composer John Williams has turned to classical roots for his Star Wars scores, making them some of the most well-known film scores to date. In honor of Star Wars Day today, let’s take a look at some Star Wars music […]
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Minimalism: “a form of art music that employs limited or minimal musical materials” (thanks Wikipedia). But what does that mean exactly? And why does it matter? I’ll tell you why it matters. Minimalism as a musical style emerged in the middle of the 20th century, and its influence has since permeated contemporary music. Many famous […]
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Records tell us that Johann Sebastian Bach had 20 children over the course of his life (he did have two wives). But what most people don’t know is that he actually had a 21st child: His name was P.D.Q. Bach. Biography Born in Leipzig, Germany, on April 1, 1742, P.D.Q. was called a “pimple on the […]
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Remember earlier this week when I posted about O Magnum Mysterium, a 16th century motet taken from Catholic Mass? Well, today I want to share another Mass with you – but this one is from the 21st century. Called Sunrise Mass, Norwegian composer Olja Gjeilo (b. 1978) created this 30-minute work for choir and strings with four […]
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I’m excited to present to you my latest composition: Three Images Book 1 for solo piano. The work consists of three parts, each telling a unique (yet progressive) story. Each movement was created out of an impromptu piano improvisation, where the main elements and themes were then developed and expanded into a full piece of […]
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