Graduating Student Recital • EXCURSIONS • Keyu Chen, piano

Program Notes

I extract “Excursions” from Barber’s piece. All the pieces involved in my concert are from different countries and eras. Haydn was an Austrian composer of the Classical period. Liszt was a Hungarian composer, pianist, and teacher of the Romantic period. Fauré was a French composer, organist, pianist, and teacher. His life spanned the late Romantic and early Modern eras. Samuel Barber was an American composer, pianist, and conductor as one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century. Moreover, Obermann Valley is from Years of Pilgrimage, Liszt wrote it during his journey first year in Swiss. Pilgrimage’s meaning is also similar to the meaning of Excursion. Traveling half a world away to pursue my music dream overseas is a time that means a to me which is also a precious excursion for me.

Biography

Passionate about the piano, I have devoted myself to learning and practicing for over 10 years. During my journey with my favorite piano, I was active in not only competitions but also concerts. It was a great honor for me to perform at the Kennedy Center in 2017 and at Jiangsu Grand Theater once a year. Moreover, I have won provincial competition gold medals three times. Being admitted to Longy for the three-year undergraduate study is a precious, meaningful experience for me. I become more confident and more motivated to perform. Supported by motivation and love, I firmly believe that I will go further and further along this road.