Liu 1 Janet Liu Ms.

Hassan English Period 5 22 December 2013 New Beginnings October 17 2010 LA Debut Star Lena Crashes and Burns in the Spotlight "It's Reporter Mikelson here, telling you about the new LA sensation Lena Stalwart. Of course we all know who Lena Stalwart is- that 18 year old prodigy who swept the whole music community off their feet with her winnings in the very prestigious and challenging Naumburg International Piano Competition, Van Cliburn, and Leeds International Pianoforte Competition. However, when she was invited to play in the Carnegie Hall, it turned out even musicians have their up and down days. Lena played the very demanding piece "Gaspard de la Nuit by Maurice Ravel. At first she started out wondrously, acing the difficult trills and repeating notes in the "Ondine", but on "Le Gibet" her fingers faltered, and with that little mistake she dropped and fell. The "Scarbo" was horrendously butchered, her fingers clumsy, completely obliterating the dynamics- guess her nerves got the better of her. I wonder where her career will go after this painful fall. Nonetheless, it's Reporter Mikelson here on another episode of 'Musicality Show', telling you about all the new things in the music community." August 28 2012

Liu 2 "Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending" - Carl Bard So this is it. What I've been waiting for. The big moment. The tipping point. If I botch up this competition, I will be further ridiculed, but if I don't, I will be the star again. Do I even want to be the star? The "LA Phenomenon"? All the press, the reporters, the constant stress and pressure? Those hours of practicing for what? The ghost of winning? The humiliation of not? "Miss Stalwart, your turn is next," boomed the intercom, interrupting my thoughts. Well, no time for anymore thoughts about quitting. I've come this far, I might as well finish it. I take the hideous pink gloves my mother lovingly crotched for me off, and take a sip of the lukewarm coffee. My mother bustles in, all cheerful smiles covering up trembling hands. "Gotta keep those hands warm, Lena. Chin up, head high. Let's see those smiles!" I give an approximation of a smile, and practice a few lines of the concerto I'm playing, the Chopin Concerto 2. My hands are freezing cold, covered in cold sweat, and they can barely play the fast notes. I quickly swallow more of the coffee, running my hands under the hot water sink. I breathe on them, rubbing them together in an attempt to loosen them up and get rid of their numbness. Thank God, after a while, the feeling comes back into them. My nerves are all twisted up, and I feel like I want to hurl. What if I fail? What a disappointment I'd be! "And now we present the Ruby sector contestant number 11, Lena Stalwart! She will be playing Piano Concerto 2 by Chopin, the Maestoso." "You'll do fine," my mother says, and with one last pat on the back I'm pushed out onto the stage into the glaring spotlight. The audience politely claps, their collective breaths held in

Liu 3 anticipation. And I begin the long walk to the Steinway and Sons piano. The purple dress suddenly seems to be made of iron threads, weighing me down with every step I take. The bow I take is jerky and slow, the audience waiting. The accompanist starts up, beginning with the second theme, the high soprano playing the part of the violin. I review my notes in my headeverything my piano teacher has told me about every little detail and part. The right hand sounds out a nice trill to mimic the roll of a timpani. Then, the accompanist quiets down, leaving me with the spotlight. A nice drop of my wrist and the first note rings out, defiant and proud, followed by a waterfall of arpeggio-like chords. The left hand then brings out a harmony leading up to the main theme played by the right hand. From there on is a blur- long, fast strings of notes played in one or two beats, paused places where the suspense is held tight and then, the beautiful sixteenth note theme starting back up. My left hand plays the mixing of notes perfectly with my right hand, playing out the heartbreaking melody. At the end sounds the drawn-out octave grace notes, before diving into the strict, rhythmic part of the exposition. The pedal coincides with the left hand three-note phrases perfectly, the notes ringing out as the right hand continues its quick meanderings above it all. The little rapid mordents trill out in the right hand, embellishing the short melody phrases. Then the harrowing page fills out into a sad section of tear-wrenching chords and underlying harmonies. The exposition ends with a long chorded trill in the right hand and punchy octaves showing their urgency, transitioning to the accompanist. The development starts up with the high, quiet second theme, echoed by the bassoon-like voice. The soft, tranquil moment is broken by a discordant series of sixteenth notes scales up and down the keyboard. All throughout the development the melody plays, echoed in the accompanist, found in certain notes of sixteenths, adorned with trills and grace notes... the scales lead to lines of difficult diminished and augmented broken chords, trading the theme between the

Liu 4 accompanist and I. The development ends with the scale of fast, loud triads down the keyboards, leading to a great, big chord played in the left hand, right hand, and accompanist. The recapitulation begins in the first theme, played calmly, trading off the melody between the left and right hands, the soprano voice adding a beautiful lilt to the whole ensemble. But, as the previous parts of the concerto, the peaceful moment doesn't last. A string of triads move the piece into a quiet, yet compelling flow. This time the calmness returns, in the form of a more complex version of an earlier melody line, high up in the keyboard, the section moving and painful. Soon, it moves on to a fast chord-laced theme, leading up to the accompanist resolving the piece with repeated versions of the first theme. In a daze, I look up. The audience is roaring, shrieking, pounding, and I am so happy!!! With a flourish I bow, gesturing to my accompanist. If possible, the audience grows louder, and I feel like a hero. When I walk off, it's as though I am walking on a cloud of awesomeness. "My God, you were amazing!!" my mother gushes, tears on her face, "You will win this for sure! Your performance was stunning- all those hard hours you put in where so worth it!!" August 30 2012 LA Star Lena Stalwart Retaliates, Stunning the World "It's Reporter Mikelson here, telling you about the first prize winner of the Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition, none other than Lena Stalwart. That's right, Lena Stalwart! Back from hiding, she made her comeback playing the first movement of Chopin's Concerto 2. She swept the judges off their feet, and earned loads of compliments on her artfully played Maestoso. Watch out ladies and gentlemen! It looks like Lena Stalwart is back in business. It's Reporter Mikelson here on another episode of 'Musicality Show'!"