When someone asks me what my hobbies are or what I like to do for fun, my first and immediate response is always, “I love music” or “playing the piano.” It has become my “go to” response because at this point playing the piano is like second nature to me, and I would have no idea what I would have done had I not been playing it since I was four years old. No matter how crazy or scattered my emotions have been throughout the day, one thing that has always stayed stagnant is the outlet that playing the piano provides me with. I can physically feel the day’s stress dissipate the second my fingers touch the keys. I am instantly calmed when I play the pieces by famous composers like Bach, Beethoven, or Brahms, and I can focus on perfecting these songs instead of worrying about life or stressing out about school. When I found out we were going to go see a pianist perform, I was intrigued and excited to watch the performance.
As someone who has grown up playing classical music, I felt that I was really able to appreciate Sara Davis Buechner’s outstanding performance on Tuesday night. I was swept away with her movements throughout her performance, and I could see the energy from her body and fingers flowing into the notes and the music. She was not only playing just the music, but she was embodying each of the different pieces she had played through her musicality and artistry. Her passion for music was clearly to evident to anyone who was watching her or even listening to her playing the instrument. Playing the piano is no easy task, because the pianist must be mindful of so many elements, such as the notes, rhythms, dynamics, and pedal; however, Buechner made it seem so easy and effortless when she was playing. She even had all of her music memorized which I think allowed her to focus on all of the other elements instead of just the notes.
While I am a fan of many Chopin waltzes, my favorite piece she performed was actually the last one, Second Rhapsody, by George Gershwin (1898-1937). Buechner had performed her own solo arrangement of the piece which I thought was extraordinary. Having played Gerhwin’s more famous piece, Rhapsody in Blue with my symphonic orchestra in high school, I know how challenging Gerhwin’s music can be. His pieces are lively, and contain elements of classical music as well as jazz music. Not only did Buechner take on the challenging task of performing the Second Rhapsody, but also she arranged the entire piece as well which is very impressive.
Sara Davis Buechner has performed in every state and providence of North America, and has even played and soloed with the most renowned orchestras like The New York Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, and Philadelphia Orchestra. She has also toured in various places throughout South America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia. Watching her play was truly inspiring and makes me want to spend hours at the keys practicing, so that I too one day can also be as breathtaking as she was at the piano.
