ETSU assistant professor Yi-Yang Chen will be celebrating Beethoven’s 250th birthday with a solo recital, performing works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Sergei Prokofiev, Enrique Granados and other celebrated musicians. The night also marks the U.S. premiere of a new work by Jeanne Zaidel Rudolph, composer of the South African national anthem, entitled “AfrEtude.”
“I would like to give back to the community by giving them a free concert that anyone is welcome to come to … and listen to the classical music for no charge,” Chen said.
The night’s repertoire is meant to span the 250 years of evolution classical music has underwent since Beethoven, from the Baroque to Classical to Romantic to Modern periods. Opening the night will be Beethoven’s “Waldstein,” a complex piano sonata lasting around 25 minutes. Following this will be Prokofiev’s “Sarcasms,” a more modern, polytonal piece from 1912.
Chen believes the modern pieces will encourage more audience interaction. He believes in keeping his music fresh and including pieces from a diverse array of regions from Vienna to Transvaal will avoid stagnation, ultimately improving the experience for both listener and performer.
“There’s a lot of fun pieces,” Chen said. “I want to have more reactions between the performer and the audience.”
This is not the first time Chen has performed for the university. He has performed at ETSU each of the three years he has worked for the Department of Music, though this is the first tribute concert he’s performed. Last year he performed alongside students, but this year he’s going solo. The night has been set up to be a unique experience, blending an array of both famous and rare works.
The show will be held on Feb. 21 at 7:30 p.m. in the Brown Hall Auditorium. Admission is free, and the event is open to the public. Donations will be accepted to fund student scholarships.
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