New Sounds for Piano

Last Thursday, I went to hear my ear training professor Ramin Arjomand play a concert of improvised piano music. The concert took place in the beautiful Sulzerger Parlor of Barnard College. The room is like a 20's mansion with a beautiful steinway piano. The concert was titled "New Sounds for Piano" and the program simply said "Part I" and "Part II."

The first improvisation started off with disjunct and fragmented notes and chords which gradually grew into steady rhythms that were often jazzy. The harmonic and rhythmic language seemed to be his focus throughout and he kept them complex! He had the ability to sustain (for between 20 and 30 minutes) the harmonic and rhythmic uncertainty that kept the piece going. At times he seemed to be suggesting heading towards a tonal center but he often left it unresolved and continued on his improvisational journey. It seemed he was more focused on ideas rather than on specifics. He often played quick chords and runs and the specific notes didn't seem to matter as much as the general harmonic and rhythmic ideas. The second improvisation started off slower and sustained and eventually grew to a similar jazzy feel that the first one had. He chose to end it at a slower tempo which made it feel like more of a complete improvisation. His ability to sustain complex ideas and carry the listener on an inspired journey was truly impressive.