Angela Wilson Piano Recital Highlights
Under the direction of Mrs. June Brus, Angela Wilson recently performed her senior piano recital as part of her Music Education Degree with a Piano Pedagogy Add-on. Here are some highlights of the performance, along with Wilson’s thoughts about each piece.
Three Nocturnes for Piano, Bloch
Bloch’s Three Nocturnes for Piano Trio highlight the composer’s unique compositional style. The turbulent third movement introduces a syncopated theme that alternates between the three parts, beginning with the cello. The composer brings back small sections of the theme from the second movement to tie the two movements together.
My Jesus I Love Thee, Forrest
If you would have asked me at the beginning of the year what I was planning on playing at my recital, I would not have said this piece. I was determined to play something different – something that was more of a showpiece. But as the year went on, I found myself going back to this piece. I love Forrest’s arrangement of this hymn because it highlights the meaning in the lyrics rather than the technical skill of the musician. When times got hard, I played this as a way to remind myself of who I am living for and of the hope I have in my Savior. The words are powerful, but only if you mean them. I want to always be able to say, “I’ll love Thee in life; I will love Thee in death, and praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath.”
Ostinato, Bartok
Taken from Vol. VI of his Mikrokosmos, Bartok’s Ostinato sounds chaotic. The syncopated rhythms and startling dissonances somehow come together to create a fun piece. The increasing in tempo and syncopation keeps the listener and performer on the edge of their seat until the final note. On top of all the specific details, Bartok includes the instruction to play the piece in 2 minutes, 5 seconds.
Angela has a reputation for challenging herself to progress to the next level of advancement and has worked diligently to improve her skills. Brus reflects “It has been a pleasure to teach Angela these past few years….Her fine recital was a testament to her commitment, dedication, and passion for sharing her musical gifts. Angela makes sure to have several hymn arrangements in her fingers at all times and serves the Lord with gratitude and humility.”