April 3, 2025

“During the half year spent at MSM, I feel invigorated by the vitality all around me. Studying at MSM enables me to achieve my goals and pursue new challenges courageously! I have met the loveliest professors here who are very supportive of my career. The brilliant surrounding areas of New York City allows a hiking-lover musician like me to take in beautiful landscapes and hear the pulsations of nature.”

His piece Tre Nattetanker (“Three Night Thoughts”) is a work I had the pleasure of premiering in Oslo, Norway, in the summer of 2023. This piece holds special meaning for me, as it was the first major piano solo work I ever premiered.

Now, as a student in a program where premiering new works is a core part of my studies, I’m grateful to bring these profound memories from the past into the present.

Being part of MSM’s Contemporary Performance Program has been a transformative experience, allowing me to deeply engage with the vibrant new music scene of NYC—the very reason I initially chose to apply to MSM.

Looking ahead, I hope to continue at MSM for an additional year in the one-year postgraduate Professional Studies Certificate program, further immersing myself in this rich new musical environment. Beyond that, I hope to keep building connections and a network that will stay with me for years to come.”

Smetana transforms these songs into a beautifully structured piano fantasy, showcasing both lyricism and virtuosity. It is a privilege to bring this music to the stage, as it represents the culture of the country where I was born. Last semester, I had the opportunity to showcase my Armenian heritage through music, and now I am excited to present a piece that highlights the rich musical traditions of the Czech Republic.

Studying at the Manhattan School of Music has been an incredible journey of artistic growth and discovery. The opportunity to work with world-class faculty, collaborate with inspiring musicians, and immerse myself in a diverse musical environment has broadened my perspective both as a pianist and as an artist. MSM provides a space where I can push my boundaries, explore new styles, and refine my artistry while being surrounded by a supportive and dynamic community. I am grateful for this experience and excited to share my performance with the MSM audience.

These pieces, including works by Johannes Verhulst and Alphons Diepenbrock, offer a blend of Romantic and Impressionist influences. Thanks to the Manhattan School of Music’s International Students Services, I was encouraged to find a piece in my mother tongue, which has truly been a game changer for me, having never sung classically in Dutch before. It has made me feel even more connected to the music being able to express its story within the language of my people and of my culture.

Studying at the Manhattan School of Music provides a unique opportunity to refine my craft in an environment that nurtures artistic growth and innovation and will allow me to deepen my understanding of technique, interpretation, and performance

I am very much looking forward to be performing Tomaso Antonio Vitali‘s Chaconne at the International Student Concert. I chose to present this particular piece since for me personally, it represents my personal development as a musician. The basso ostinato, the foundational recurring bass line of the chaconne, reminds me of a very familiar harmonic progression regarding the music from where I am from. On top of this bass line, the piece develops through exploration of what is possible within the given framework, adding to the musical content through variations and embellishments, taking the theme to a different tonality and developing throughout the piece similar to how a musician develops through their musical studies.

Being a Professional Diploma student at MSM, I am seeing the journey I have made as a music student through my undergraduate and my master’s degree, leading up to the present, and I am seeing similarities in the piece in regards to how I also started my development with a known bass line, adding ideas and variations on top of it over the years. My current studies at MSM are therefore important to me since they mark the closing of the circle of my development, completing my education years as a music student and polishing what I had learnt over my studies for it to be a complete work around the reoccurring bass, that is who I am as a person and musician.

I’m honored to be performing two Korean art songs at this year’s Annual International Students Concert. The first piece, “Ihwawoo” (Pear Blossom Rain, 이화우), composed by Lee Won-joo with lyrics by Maechang, expresses the fleeting emotions of love and parting through poetic imagery of falling pear blossoms. This song deeply captures the unique Korean sentiment of “Han,” a profound sense of sorrow, longing, and unresolved emotion. The second piece, “Beautiful Country,” composed by Taesoo Han with lyrics by Jungeun Chae, vividly portrays the serene beauty of Korea’s natural landscape and the warmth of its people in a lyrical yet dynamic manner.

Studying at MSM has been invaluable to me, as it offers opportunities to collaborate with musicians from diverse cultural backgrounds, broadening my musical perspective and enhancing my depth as an artist. MSM’s exceptional faculty and creative environment inspire me to integrate my Korean heritage and emotional expression with Western classical traditions, enabling performances that are authentic and innovative. I’m thrilled to introduce Korean music and its rich emotional heritage to the audience through this concert.

The Dancer – Levi Gunardi (1976 – current): This composition is one of the most aesthetically pleasing pieces I have ever encountered. It is also the work of an Indonesian pianist and composer, Levi Gunardi, whom I am lucky enough to personally It is also the work of an Indonesian pianist and composer, Levi Gunardi, whom I am fortunate enough to personally know. The piece showcases the intricate elements of Indonesia’s musical instrument, Gamelan, and other traditional pieces. The melody begins with a simple yet beautiful tune that gradually becomes both musically and technically demanding, culminating in a climactic ending. Notably, Gunardi is also an alumnus of the Manhattan School of Music (MSM).