Minutes of Y’s Men Meeting of October 13, 2016
Mr. Barry Persky, President CT Alliance of Music
Mr. Frederick Chiu, Pianist, Lecturer and Founder Beechwood Arts and Innovation
Mr. Persky spoke to the founding of the CT Alliance of Music (CAM) with the starting point being the Heida Hermanns Competition for piano, voice and string quartets. CAM supports artists, arranges venues and works with the Westport/Weston Arts Council and other groups that support performing artists. He noted that the piano competition will take place in Fairfield shortly with a Saturday competition comprising 12 pianists and a Sunday final with six pianists.
Mr. Chiu outlined a brief history of his studies and music background. He described his childhood and his early love of music, his studies in Paris and overall development as a performing and recording artist. He also talked about his Beechwood Arts and Innovation programs which are a blending of mind, body and spirit surrounded by music. A holistic approach to the inner being.
Mr. Chiu’s musical focus was the pianist and composer Sergei Prokofiev. Born in 1891 he became a recognized prodigy at an early age and rose as one of the giants of 20th century music. Prokofiev wrote for film, one of the first to do so, became involved in writing communist party proletariat music, and argued with Russian censors over what type of music was permissible.
Mr. Chiu performed a number of Prokofiev works concomitant with his various musical periods. The first period dealt with the composer regarding the piano as a percussion instrument. The work performed by Mr. Chiu did in fact sound as such. Much like drumming (my interpretation).
The second period when he was an ex-patriot was represented by the first movement of the 7th War Sonata. The third period, when writing for film sound track, was the Lt. Kiji Suite. And the fourth period by Romeo and Juliet, Dance of the Nights.
Prokofiev was a prolific composer with many of his works imbedded in the repertoire of the world’s renowned orchestras. The Classical Symphony and Peter and the Wolf are but two of the most famous.
The Y’s Men were fortunate to have Mr. Chiu perform previously. Hopefully we will be as fortunate in the future.
Submitted by Les Wolf