Program Notes

Tumultueux. My most adventurous piano endeavor yet. And it sounded like crap until I finally got the notes under my fingers and wrapped my brain around it. And now it’s strong, passionate, and beautiful. Even though I never fail to mess up at least one arpeggio, you’ll probably never know! Unless you’re Ben Nylander. But even still, this shows that beauty doesn’t lie in perfection. You know, I think I’ve gone through a bit of tumultueux transformation lately. But now let’s reflect a bit further back with

Suite Bergamasque Prelude. The very first “real” piece of piano rep I played was in this set, the Clair de Lune. And the prelude was one of the last pieces I played before the world fell apart last year. The closing of a chapter, perhaps. But also the opening of a new chapter. Preludes are written to have music follow them, and it feels like I’ve had an entire symphony happen since playing this piece. A lot of this year has felt like I’m running in circles just like the sixteenth notes in

Tempest pt. 3. Last semester I played the first movement to this Beethoven sonata, which gives a lot of “calm before the storm” anticipation. The entire third movement never stops being a storm. And that’s how this semester has felt for me. Before I start playing this piece, I have to feel the pulse in the silence. And when I finally begin, I have to remember to breathe, remembering to stay in the moment and not worry about what’s ahead of me. I’ve learned that worrying about what’s ahead of me causes me to neglect what’s in front of me. Which is especially important in

Fantasie negre. This piece is a musical journey if I’ve ever heard one. Filled with suspense and anticipation that comes from lingering in tension, from pressing into the passion Florence Price set to music. Those special moments are not to be rushed through. Over the past year, I’ve learned that growth is not something to be rushed. It takes time, but one day, I’ll be able to look back on these moments of hardship and see how they shaped me into someone strong, passionate, and beautiful.

And remember, progress—not perfection.

- Maggie

p.s. click here to watch my recital! https://youtu.be/t1FiWbLFugM