Christine Lopez gave a lecture on Robert Schumann, a German composer and a pianist well known in the world of music during the Music Department’s concert “Do You Hear What I Hear” on Friday, Feb. 21.
The lecture focused on two main subjects, the first being Robert Schumann and a piece he composed and the second being a live in class performance by a pianist named Dr. Sung Ae Lee.
Lopez’s intent is to help piano students or students who are taking piano classes to get a little more familiar with the piano. She wants students to learn about different styles and different composers.
She also wants them to be more familiar with the piano.
“There’s nothing like a live performance, I tell this to my students all the time, get out there, and watch people perform, it’s an incredible world that your going to allow yourself to discover,” Lopez said.
Lopez gave a short presentation on Schumann’s life and later discussed one of his most prominent works called “Carnaval” which was later performed by Lee on the piano.
Schumann was also a journalist and conductor, he lived from 1810-1856, which was known as the romantic period. He began composing at the age of 7. At a later age, he took lessons from Friedrich Wieck and went on to marry Wieck’s daughter who’s name was Clara.
Schumann also had a mental disorder called schizophrenia, it began to show at an early age and he was eventually confined to a mental institution. Clara was a key factor in Schumann’s life; she continued to play the music her husband composed since he was too ill to play himself. She kept her husband’s music alive for everyone to hear.
“Carnaval” is a solo piano piece that consists of more than one piece that showcases masked revelers that would be seen at a carnival. Schumann, in one-way or another, reveals his musical characteristics in this piece, which is a piece, the sheds some light on his friends and other contemporaries in a musical way.
After the lecture, Lopez introduced Lee, a graduate of piano performance and a Doctor of Musical Art. Lee has won many competitions including the Word International Competition and who is well known for her teaching ability.
Lee had started playing the piano at the age of 11 and wanted to become a church pianist, which was her major motivation to become a pianist. She taught at many different locations, which include Shepherd University School of Music, Coastline Community College, and Bethesda Christian University. She has been a part of the Cerritos College Faculty since 2004.
Lee’s spectacular and inspiring performance silenced the room. In those few minutes, all eyes were on her and every short piece she played was remarkable and very distinct from the last.
Audience member, Sarah Lopez described Lee’s performance as “captivating and fascinating”.
Lee spoke of how she used to play the song while she was pregnant with her first child; it is a song she’s been playing for 17 years.
“This is such a great piece, very challenging, very difficult but it has a history for me”, Lee said when referring to “Carnaval” and why she was so intrigued by the piece itself.
