Music! Its Role and Importance in Our LivesChapter 16: Music in FilmFrom the TopName: Krysten Keches Krysten Keches on performing "The Lanes of Limerick" on the From the Top radio show: Q: What are your thoughts and feelings about this piece of music? A: When I'm learning a new piece, I always try to visualize a picture or story that captures the emotion of the music. Because The Lanes of Limerick was written for the soundtrack of the movie Angela's Ashes, the film drama and the plot of the original novel became my imagery. As I practiced, I imagined the main character as a young boy, skipping down the poor and lonely streets of 1930s Ireland. Despite the gloom, the warm chords and trills illustrate the narrator's hopefulness. Q: What is unique or special about this piece of music? A:Angela's Ashes is unique because the performer has so much freedom. I loved working on the smallest details of the music: adding weight to an eighth note, accenting a chord, hesitating slightly before the next beat. The very distinct color and mood of the piece changes as the tempo relaxes and then pushes forward. I think that the most essential thing to relate to the audience is the importance of the contrasts in the music and how these contrasts correspond to the story. Q: What was it like preparing for and appearing on From the Top? A: Performing on From the Top was one of the most memorable experiences I've had as a musician. Along with playing on the radio for the first time, I was able to meet other artists from across the country. The performance was fun because of the extremely receptive audience and the live interview. It was great to be able to talk about my love of music and share the aspects of my life that don't involve the harp. |  |
