Piano

Frédéric Chopin: Nocturne in C-Sharp Minor

One piece that I connected very well with was Chopin’s Nocturne in C-Sharp Minor. I first heard this piece when my piano teacher demonstrated how to properly play it. I noticed the heaviness of emotion within Chopin’s romantic chords off the bat. I took upon the challenge to learn this new piece and wanted to perform with the same heart that Chopin had.

Little by little, I learned the basic structure of this Nocturne and the time came for me to embody the raw emotion. I took great inspiration from the movie, The Pianist, as it showed me how much music could affect one’s life during times of despair. This movie opened my eyes to the power of music. After watching the movie, I began to understand how I would go about capturing the emotion within Chopin’s great work.

My practicing sessions became the most enjoyable when I explored how this piece was interpreted. I vividly remember sitting in front of the piano and playing for hours and hours on end, freeing myself through music. There was a story to be told. Just as Chopin exposed his vulnerability through the beautifully composed chords and phrases, I used my playing time as a period where I let go. I wanted to express his story through the way I struck the chords, glided through the notes, and emphasized the loudness and softness of each touch.

In the summer of 2018, I entered the doors of the Southwestern Youth Music Festival, ready to not just perform, but live in the moment. As I played, I could feel the emotions intensifying, the audience connecting with the piece just as I did. It was an incredible honor of mine to showcase Chopin’s Nocturne and take home the second-place award. If Chopin were alive to see me that day, I think we would have a mutual understanding.