Solo Piano Recital

This free recital weaves together a program exploring resilience, reimagined identity, and cultural memory through the lens of composers who transformed the classical tradition. It begins with the brilliance of Franz Liszt, setting the stage for the raw intensity of Thomas “Blind Tom” Wiggins’ Civil War-inspired Battle of Manassas. From this chaos emerges Antonín Dvořák’s vision of a “New World,” transcribed for solo piano by Charles Szczepanik. At the heart of the program are five powerful selections from Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s 24 Negro Melodies, Op. 59—works that elevate African, Caribbean, and African American melodies through the refined lens of classical form. The program concludes with Florence Price’s Fantasie Nègre No. 1 in E minor, a virtuosic and deeply lyrical work rooted in the spiritual and Romantic traditions. This recital offers a resonant meditation on artistic legacy and cultural voice, tracing a path from inherited tradition to new creative ground. Valse Oubliée No. 1 Franz Liszt (1811–1886) The Battle of Manassas Thomas “Blind Tom” Wiggins (1849–1908) Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95, “From the New World” Second Movement: Largo Antonín Dvořák (1841–1904) transc. Charles Szczepanik Five selections from 24 Negro Melodies, Op. 59 III. Take Nabandji IX. The Angels Changed My Name VIII. The Bamboula XVI. Let Us Cheer the Weary Traveler XXIV. Wade in the Water Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875–1912) Fantasie Nègre No. 1 in E minor Florence Price (1887–1953)