Memories of Childhood

Note

I wrote these pieces when Beijing’s Covid lockdowns started in earnest.  At the beginning, my wife’s piano students were delighted that their weekly piano lessons were cancelled, but their glee at a perceived holiday from everything quickly turned to the misery of isolation at home.  As they gradually found ways to resume lessons, their joy the opportunity to make music was infectious, and I started to think about how I could write little pieces for them to have excuses to socialize and play together.  Each of these pieces is dedicated to a particular student, and each takes into account that student’s personality.  For some I was cheeky: for one student who resolutely refused to look at accidentals I wrote a piece that is entirely composed of accidentals.  For another who hated to play triplets figures, I included some prominent triplet figures.  

After I’d written these pieces, I realized (duh!) that each had a connection to childhood joys, and the various movements ordered themselves into the album that was subsequently published by JCLINK.  I’ve always enjoyed Eric Satie’s Sports et Divertissements, and I thought that young players would probably enjoy some illustrations, so I asked an old friend to create some in bright colours, which he kindly did.

The last piece in the series was written the evening before my second son was born and is dedicated to him.  I was entirely unaware when composing it, but it turns out that the primo part, which is one hand only, suits both right hand and left hand equally well.