"Scales of Nature" Piano Lecture Recital - Analyzing Selected Piano Pieces From Two Living Female Contemporary Composers: Chen Yi and Jennifer Higdon

This lecture recital was an hour-long event held in Recital Concert Hall at ASU School of Music on Sunday, March 20th, 2022 at 12:00 PM. The lecture recital a hybrid of a lecture and a musical performance. The musical performance, under the guidance of pianist Dr. Robert Hamilton, was a live piano performance of the pieces "Northern Scenes" written by Chen Yi, and "Secret & Glass Gardens" written by Jennifer Higdon. The lecture portion, under the guidance of music theorist Dr. Nicholas Shea, covers a biography of the composers, followed by a generalized formal analysis and description of musical themes and motives that are within the scope of their respective pieces. The overall product for audience members is to get an introduction to living female composers, Chen Yi and Jennifer Higdon, as well as develop a general understanding of their compositional techniques and influences. The audience is also informed of 'what to listen for' by discussing the overall structure and formal analysis of each piece before hearing it played live. This is necessary given the context that these compositions have been written within the past two decades, it is very helpful to know what will happen so that listeners have an easier time following along to this very new music.