Ondine's Return

I was working hard at Ondine from Gaspard de la Nuit through the end of the summer, but I had to set the piece aside, both to maintain my own sanity and to prepare for a small handful of competitions.  I ended up only applying for the two, both of which accepted me - the International Keyboard Odyssiad and MTNA.  Now that MTNA is finally behind me and, through a silly trick of luck, an unusually mediocre pianist is representing New Mexico at the Regional Level (I received Honorable Mention), I am free to learn new pieces.  Of course my first project was to run right back to Ondine.  I discovered to my delight that I had done a very good job learning the notes before; the piece came right back into my fingers and after a week and a day was completely memorized.

My junior recital is fast approaching.  I'll be giving it sometime next fall, preferably as early in the semester as possible.  I have some ideas for a program:

• Rachmaninoff, Variations on a Theme of Corelli.  I performed the majority of this work in 2007 or 2008.  I did a horrible job, and I am grateful that no one remembers my performance anymore.  Nowadays, however, I am much better-equipped to tackle such a piece and perform confidently, comfortably, safely, and musically.
• Beethoven, God Save the King Variations.  A really fun little piece of music.  Like everything Beethoven wrote, it's brilliant and fits the piano.  Unlike most of what Beethoven wrote, it's short enough to be played as an encore, weighing in at about 4 1/2 minutes without repeats.
• Bach, Art of Fugue.  Not the whole thing, probably, but certainly a large chunk thereof.  I never cease to be amazed by what Bach is capable of.
• Beethoven, Piano Sonata in A, Op. 101

I will also start work on the fourth piano concerto of Beethoven as soon as this studio recital is past.  I love learning new pieces!  I am really looking forward to this.