Pianist E-Na Song and violinist Koki Tanaka will play works by Beethoven and Tchaikovsky at a recital at SUNY Brockport on Wednesday, October 27, at 7:30 p.m. The highlight, however, will be the world premiere of “Eight Aspects,” by Tyler Kline. The concert will take place at the Tower Fine Arts Center, 180 Holley Street, Brockport.
According to Kline, “‘Eight Aspects’ is about the moon in a symbolic sense (although the eight ‘aspects’ of this work could be interpreted as the eight moon phases). In this case, the moon represents illusions, the subconscious, and something divine yet ambiguous. This imagery is a common thread through the piece, though it is filtered in different ways within each movement. Different moods and characters appear, ranging from fantasy-like escapism to frozen-in-time ritual music; overflowing washes of sound to sharp and pointed textures, and circular gestures that evoke the completeness of a world itself.” The commission process was almost collaborative, according to Song. “Koki and I had a couple of Zoom meetings with Tyler to discuss what we wanted from the music. I mentioned I was into anything related to nature, and Tyler suggested the theme of the moon. We loved the idea! After we agreed upon the subject… Tyler asked us what kinds of musical ideas we would like to have in the piece. Koki and I wanted something familiar, not too foreign, but at the same time somewhat experimental, so Tyler… added not just violin harmonics but also piano harmonics, which I believe must be fun and new to many audiences.”
Korean-born pianist Dr. E-Na Song is a concert pianist, collaborative pianist, and piano teacher. As a concert pianist, she enjoys communicating with audiences with her passionate playing. Her creative interpretation and thoughtful programs attract audiences of all ages and backgrounds. She has appeared in venues such as Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, Han Gang Grand Hall at Gang Dong Arts Center, and in Europe, including Poland and Spain.
She currently teaches at Roberts Community Music School and the Hochstein School as a Piano Instructor and has joined Roberts Wesleyan College as an adjunct faculty member this semester. Song enjoys her time in Florida every summer, working as the assistant director in the Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival.
Determined to engage and inspire audiences, Koki Tanaka made his debut at age 18 at Seattle’s Benaroya Hall, performing the Jules Conus’ technically demanding “Violin Concerto in E minor” with the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra. In 2016, he was awarded the first prize in the American Protégé Piano and String Competition and made a solo debut at Weill Recital Hall in New York City.
Born in Japan, Tanaka started playing the violin at age six. Once he emigrated to the United States, he studied with Mikhail Kopelman, Renée Jolles, Lynn Blakeslee, Ronald Patterson, Hsuan (Tony) Lee. While studying at the Eastman School of Music, he has been giving solo recitals annually under their aegis, as well as appearing at the George Eastman Museum’s Annual Concert Series. While working toward his undergraduate degree at the University of Washington, Tanaka enjoyed his first experiences performing chamber music. Motivated by the fact, he formed The Quantum String Quartet with his colleagues, and the group was awarded the first prize in the University of Washington Strings and Piano Chamber Ensemble Competition.
Tanaka’s other passion is teaching, which he has done in any number of situations, from elementary school to middle school music class, as well as private lessons. Currently, he is teaching at both Nazareth College and Roberts Wesleyan Community Music School. He received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Eastman School of Music, from which he also received his master’s degree.
Tickets are $17/general, $12/senior citizens, Brockport alumni, faculty and staff, and $9/students, and are available online at http://fineartstix.brockport.edu, by phone at 395-2787, or in person. SUNY Brockport’s up-to-date COVID-19 prevention guidelines can be found on the ticketing website, the Fine Arts Series Facebook page, and at brockport.edu/coronavirus. Compliance with campus protocols is required in order to attend performances or events.
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