Emily | Improvisation by Kaitlin Webster-Zuber

Emily
Improvisation and performance by Kaitlin Webster-Zuber (piano).
“The creative artist recognizes their strengths and their weaknesses and discovers a rewarding balance by allowing both to influence their work.” ~ Kaitlin Webster-Zuber
Over the years of my musical education in piano and composition, I have always been fascinated with the concept of a musical cryptogram, inspired by the compositional technique soggetto cavato. Created by Renaissance composer Josquin des Prez, soggetto cavato was originally implemented in a vocal setting, in which a musical subject is created out of the vowels of words or text. Over the past few hundred years, composers including J.S. Bach, Joseph Haydn, Johannes Brahms, Maurice Ravel, and others have used one type of musical cryptogram in which one puts letters to note names, since the musical alphabet covers letters A to G. Composers have created many versions of this cryptogram. A couple years into my
compositional life I created my own version, using it simultaneously to come up with short musical motifs as well as to incorporate the meaningful people in my life into my aural storytelling. Emily’s name inspired the five-note motif, E-F#-B-E-D#. In this piece, I aimed to express multiple miniature “worlds” of sounds I associate with Emily - since I know her better than anyone else! One of the main inspirations for this movement is film music Emily and I listen to together - John Williams, John Powell, Ennio Morricone, Bernard Hermann, and many others.
This piece is one movement in a larger composition I am currently writing: a set of 10 miniature pieces - one for each family member in my household. The full work will present all possible combinations of the ensemble of two pianos and two violins: solo piano, solo violin, two pianos, two violins, violin and piano, two violins and one piano, two pianos and one violin, and lastly, two violins and two pianos. Emily is written for my younger sister and piano-duo-partner-in-crime.
Senior Piano Recital
Doheny Mansion, Mount Saint Mary's University
Sunday, April 28, 2024
Audio and Video Recording: Emily Webster-Zuber

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Fine.