Radio Premier of "Emotions of a COVID-19 Lockdown" by Sami Gershenhorn
On WFMT 98.7, Chicago’s Classical Music Radio station, featured the radio broadcast debut and premiere of Sami Gershenhorn’s original composition, “Emotions of the COVID-19 Lockdown,” composed in April 2020 during the global COVID-19 Lockdown on the “American Composers Highlights” broadcast. Listen here.
“Emotions of the COVID-19 Lockdown” is a four-minute piano work by 11-year old Sami Gershenhorn. The piece is in the key of D-Flat Major, and is in seven sections. It begins very softly with a broad, slow D-Flat Major chorale melody, and finds its journey toward a loud conclusion in the key of D Major. Sami wrote it to describe the emotions he is feeling during the tragic lockdown of COVID-19. The piece describes a wide range of feelings; from despondency and frustration, to hope and peace. As well as this composition, Sami took advantage of the lockdown by creating other pieces, including preludes, a waltz, and even his first symphony!
Sami’s composition can be purchased online here to perform on piano.
About
Sami Gershenhorn
Pianist. Composer. 5th Grader.
The passion and prowess emanating from his piano is the perfect personification of Sami Gershenhorn. One moment, it’s feverish intensity. Another, it’s sheer whimsical innocence. Like any typical 10 year-old, Sami has enjoyed many hobbies over the years that have come and gone. However, his love for the piano has remained steadfast.
As a child, music reached Sami on a deeply emotional level. Diagnosed at two years old with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Sami’s characteristics are dominated by auditory hypersensitivity. Ironically. the same auditory system responsible for countless meltdowns is also the source of his gifted ear and ability to learn complex classical pieces.
As a toddler, he would sit trying to recreate classical children's pieces, such as Mozart's “Ah vous dirai-je, Maman” (aka Twinkle Variations) and Beethoven's “An die Freunde” (aka Ode to Joy). To advance his rare gift, Sami’s parents enrolled him in New Music School, with its Founder, Francisco Ybarra as his teacher.
Immediately Francisco recognized Sami’s natural talent. By age six, Sami insisted on learning pieces that most teenagers strive to learn, such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s, Rondo Alla Turca and Ludwig van Beethoven’s, “Moonlight Sonata”. Since his first solo recital at New Music School, performing Dmitri Kabalevsky’s, Etude in A minor (Opus 27, no. 3), Sami has performed more than 20 recitals among his peers.
At age 10, Sami made his first public performance as a professional pianist in London, performing Frederic Chopin’s, “Etude Op 25, no. 2 in F minor” and Franz Liszt’s, “Etudes de concert, S. 144: No. 3, Un Sospiro (Allegro affettuoso).” He is preparing for national and international competitions, and has performed around the world, from London to Positano, New York City, Miami, and in his own home town of Chicago. Recently in Fall 2019, Sami has won both the Illinois State and Regional MTNA Junior Composition Competition for his set of Preludes for Piano.
Sami is nurtured by an incredible team, led by his teacher Francisco, retired Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Principal Pianist Mary Sauer, pedagogue and practice reading coach, Lia Kim. Together, they are helping Sami prepare for some of his biggest milestones to date, performing Sergei Prokofiev’s, Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Flat Major with orchestra and learning seven concert pieces for his 2020 Debut Recital, including works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Liszt, Frederic Chopin, Sergei Prokofiev, and his original composition, Emotions of a COVID-19 Lockdown.
Sami invites you to be a part of his journey by following him on Instagram @samigershenhorn, YouTube, or visit his website at www.samigershenhornmusic.com.
