Friday, July 4, 2014

Master's Concert

So as promised, this is about my Master's Concert.


I played a lot. Nine pieces, actually. (Ten, if you include the video of my first performance for relatives when I was six or so...) I started out with four classical pieces. I had this genius idea that I could have a video of myself when I was much younger and much more terrible at the piano to break the ice right before my student speech, but mostly I wanted everyone to have quite clearly in their head that I was not a child prodigy before I started telling about my piano playing years, so they wouldn't think I was just being modest. I think I succeeded.


I have a bucket list of "Things That I Never Want to Do". Speaking was on it.  It is now on my  "Things I Never Want to do Again" bucket list.


After my speech I played a composition of mine. Its name is "Iris in the Rain". I cannot express enough gratitude to my good friend, Mrs. Lisa Cavnar, for coming up with this title. (I was just going to call it "Song Without a Name, Op. 3", but I thought my piano teacher would probably not be very enthusiastic about that.) 

Next I played a two piano duet of "To God be the Glory" with my friend Madison Hageman. I even remembered to put her name as "Madison Hageman" instead of "Madison Asa" in the program. I was quite impressed with myself. 

Then I played "Oh Love, That will not Let me Go" with Mom as my accompanist.

Then Chris talked. He talked longer than I did. I don't know why he made me sit in the front, it was rather awkward.


My diploma presentation. This is one of those moments when, as a left-hander, I am always afraid I will forget that I am supposed to shake hands with my right hand and take the diploma with my left.
Thankfully I remembered and survived the ordeal.


Then Dad talked, and I played "The Great Gate at Kiev", and it was over, and I was exhausted.




This is my piano teacher, Chris Rogers, and myself after the recital. We were trying to not look tired, and I was trying to look like I enjoyed getting my picture taken.