2024 Submissions
Sonata No. 9 in E Major Op. 14 No. 1, 1st Mov. by Beethoven
I selected this piece as a source of stress relief during the trials of my challenging freshman year in high school. It resonates with me on a profound level, offering a conduit for the concealed angst arising from the intricacies of teenage social dynamics and the abrupt termination of my ballet studies due to a foot injury last year.
Se tu m'ami (If thou lov'st me) by G. Battista Pergolesi
In this performance, I present "Se tu m'ami," a baroque-era aria often attributed to Giovanni Battista Pergolesi. This Italian song, whose title translates to "If you love me," is renowned for its expressive depth and charming melody.
Griffes Poem
In this recording, I'm playing excerpts from a flute piece named Griffes Poem. Griffes Poem is a composition written for the flute and orchestra by composer Charles Griffes. I began playing the flute when I was in fourth grade after I was showed a cartoon of Peter and The Wolf.
Marimba Concerto Movt. 1 by N. Rosauro
Dear music enthusiast, I hope you enjoyed my marimba concerto as much as I did. In the aftermath of the pandemic, we all carry the stress and uncertainty resulting from the COVID-19 effect. During my marimba performances, I experienced a unique connection.
Prelude in F Major, BWV 927, by J.S. Bach
Out of all the Bach pieces I’ve played, this prelude holds a special place in my heart. F major represents peace and joy, exactly the feelings this prelude gives me. It's fun and flighty, so for this submission I’ve tried to play the song in a way that felt the most fun to play.
Cello Concerto in B minor, Movement 2 by Dvořák
This was the first second movement I've learned from any concerto that I've started -- while the recording only captures the second half of the movement, it establishes a very different mood compared to the first movement of Dvořak's work. Intense yet ethereal, it's a beautiful bridge between two more majestic movements.
The Victorian Kitchen Garden, 1. Prelude
This is a piece that features the piano, harp, and clarinet. This suite has a total of 3 movements. I decided to play the 1st movement, “Prelude”, due to its fantasy like appeal and its main feature of the clarinet. I enjoy this song very much because it is beautiful as a solo or while being accompanied by other instruments.
I Ain't Worried
“I Ain’t Worried” represents the collaborative effort of our band, Audacity 23, as we take the stage to enchant the audience during the music library hours in Fremont, marking a joyous celebration of the 2023 Christmas Season. In this song, we combined various instruments and vocals to create a blend between sounds. Although the song is only about 3 minutes, it took us many rehearsals and adjustments to find the perfect harmony.
Violin Concerto No. 4 Movement 2 by Mozart
Even though I performed the complete concerto no. 4, I chose the second movement because of its musicality. I deeply enjoy playing slower movements because I am able to express more emotion through vibrato and dynamics.
The Seasons, Op. 37a No. 11 November "Troika" by Tchaikovsky
November by Tchaikovsky portrays what November is like. At times, it sounds like a calm winter morning and at others it sounds like the arrival of reindeers. I worked on making the many different moods sound contrasting compared to each other.
Audacity by Eternity Band
Audacity is an original music composition by the Eternity Band, the most influential student band in the Bay Area. ( www.eternityband.org ) This pop-classical crossover piece depicts a vision of a better world driven by unabated youthful energy.
Romance by W. Grant Still
Starting with early immersion into music as a student of the Tabla in India during first grade, I discovered the Alto Saxophone as my true passion in middle school. My middle school band director laid the foundation of my musical growth journey who nurtured my love for classical music and passion for the saxophone.
Symphonie Espagnole Op. 21 by E. Lalo
This excerpt is from Symphonie Espagnole by Édouard Lalo. Lalo’s piece is Spanish-inspired and portrays the warmth of a Spanish rendezvous—an eccentric party filled with exuberant guests of all ages, laughing together with joy.
Die Schwestern
My sister and I have always loved to sing together. We would sing in the car, at home, and at family gatherings. When we were younger, we would dream of one day recording a duet together. That dream finally came true when we recorded a song called "Die Schwestern" (The Sisters).
Nocturne Opus. 9, No. 2 by Chopin
I have been studying the piano for over 10 years, which has allowed me to strengthen my technical and artistic abilities. At this point in my piano development, I can choose from a wide variety of works to play. I have tinkered with many genres of music including classical, pop, musical theater, cinematic music, and more.
Barcarolle, No. 6 from Les Saisons, Op. 37 by Juin
This is a piano piece by P.I. Tchaikovsky. I have enjoyed the learning process although it had some quite difficult technical parts that I think I was able to show at a good performance level.
What's Going On? by M. Gaye
I chose to play “What’s Going On?” by Marvin Gaye on the piano for my artwork submission for several reasons. First, I have experience playing the piano and I decided to challenge myself with a new song that I had never heard before.
My Lord, What a Morning Arr. H. Burleigh
“My Lord, What a Morning” is an African American spiritual arranged by Henry Thacker Burleigh in 1918. Spirituals are songs that have been passed down orally by enslaved people throughout American history. Composers like Burleigh later arranged them.
Scenes From a Ghibli Movie
This animation reel, “Scenes From a Ghibli Movie,” contains four animations I completed throughout 2023. I have always been fascinated with the film composition of Studio Ghibli movies—their whimsically mute colors and a magical simplicity so grounded in reality. Studio Ghibli sparingly uses computer animation techniques, instead illustrating by hand with acrylic.