Stratosphere Lullabies: New Album

Stratosphere Lullabies Album by Kathryn Louderback

Hello readers! I know it’s been a long (long long long) time since I’ve posted here on A Pianist’s Musings, but today I want to share with you my newest album called Stratosphere Lullabies. Stratosphere Lullabies is dear to my heart. I began composing the pieces for this album two years ago while pregnant with […]

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Luna: New Composition

I’m so excited to share with you my latest composition, Luna! A lullaby of sorts, I wrote this piece for my twins while I was pregnant with them. Luna explores the beautiful combination of melody with minimalism. The alternating third interval motif heard from 0:07-0:15 drives the music forward, creating a sense of stability underneath […]

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In the Mists by Leoš Janáček

Leoš Janáček (1854-1928), one of the most important Czech composers of the 20th century, was greatly inspired by folk music to create a unique musical voice. His piano cycle V mlhách (In the Mists) – composed in 1912 – shows off his incredibly coloristic, moody, and mature compositional style. In the Mists paints a mesmerizingly foggy […]

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4 Reasons Why Playing the Piano is Good for Your Brain

Music isn't a high-impact sport, but it does have surprising mental health benefits. Here are 4 reasons why playing the piano is good for your brain.

Playing the piano isn’t exactly a high-impact sport. And sadly we don’t get our cardio workout done for the day after a 30 minute piano practice session. (Although to be honest, sometimes it feels like it!) But playing the piano does have surprising mental health benefits. Here are 4 reasons why playing the piano is […]

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Voices Piano Sonata: An Original Composition

Voices Piano Sonata by Kathryn Louderback

The Voices piano sonata is a very special composition to me. Writing this work gave me an opportunity to explore my own voice as a composer, but it goes deeper than that. Each of the three movements in the piano sonata Voices is based on a theme written by a female composer in music history. […]

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Voices: A New Contemporary Classical Album

Voices Album Cover by Kathryn Louderback

Hi friends! Today I am thrilled to share with you my newest album of original compositions: Voices. This groundwork for this album came from a concert I gave back in April of 2019. I wrote many new original pieces for the concert, so I decided to record and share some of them in album form. […]

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Classical Music Inspired by the Universe

When you think of outer space, you might be swept away by feelings of grandeur and longing. You might look up at the stars and feel small, wondering what exactly is out there for us to discover. You might even be swept away by the gorgeous colors and sensations of the unknown. And you wouldn’t […]

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What Makes Gymnopédie No. 1 so Special?

In 1888, the eccentric French composer Erik Satie (1866-1925) published three short, atmospheric piano solos called Gymnopédies. The first, marked Lent et douloureux (“slowly with pain/grief”), is perhaps one of the most famous piano solos penned during the late Romantic era. Let’s dive a little deeper into Gymnopédie No. 1 and see what makes it so […]

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The Scandalous History of the Waltz

Waltz

When you think of the waltz, you might start humming Tchaikovsky’s Waltz of the Flowers or The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss II. Waltz music has certainly gone through much development since its origins in the 1700s. But did you know that the original Classical era dance was considered scandalous? And that it wasn’t until […]

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Earth Day Music: Reflections in the Water

Every year on April 22, people around the world observe Earth Day as a way to honor our planet (and bring awareness to any environmental issues). So today’s blog post is a compilation of Earth Day music from my album A Million Skies to help celebrate our beautiful earth. Echoes in the Mist Echoes in […]

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