Miki will perform excerpts from her electro-acoustic debut album “A Kind of Mirror” which is released on August 27. The music for the album was composed by Brendon Randall-Myers, and it was originally written for the Gather Hear West Virginia tour in 2018. It’s since been expanded into a bigger work, but it’s music that holds a special place in Miki’s heart. Take a listen or order the album here. Other works performed will be an African-American spiritual by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, a couple pieces by the great 19th century piano virtuoso composer Franz Liszt, and a new piece written for this tour by University of Utah composer Elisabet Curbelo. There’s a loose theme of “music inspired by nature” in this program, but mostly Miki hopes to transport you through different magical sonic landscapes.

About Piano Hot Springs

Composer: Elisabet Curbelo
Pianist: Miki Sawada

I am from the Canary Islands. They are volcanic islands, but we don’t have hot springs or snow there. While living in Utah, I have always been fascinated by hot springs. It is incredible to soak in warm water while it is snowing. Utah has the most beautiful snow I have ever seen. Being in a hot spring while it is snowing is just an otherworldly experience for me.

Unfortunately, we are experiencing global warming; the increase in temperatures will dry Utah more and more. We are losing the snow, and sadly, we will also lose the groundwater that feeds the hot springs.

This piece is an homage to the many beautiful hot springs Utah has. The water flow inspires the music, the rain, snow, water drops that flow downwards and mix with the groundwater that flows upwards; boiling water, warm water high in mineral content. I used the data collected by geologists in Utah to compose the music; the number of dissolved solids, the temperature of the water, the percentage of water mixing. I used the data to organize the form of the piece, the rhythmic patterns, the pitch content, and the register. The abundance of sustain pedal represents the wetness and abundance of water. When the sustain pedal is used less and less towards the end of the piece, it represents the lack of water.

When Miki commissioned this piece, she asked for audience participation. I liked this idea because it favors active listening and artistic expression from the audience. It is also the best way to understand the solutions to our World’s problems. Humans need to be united, not divided like we are, to find answers and slow the effects of climate change. This community poem the audience will perform is an example of how vital community performance and collaborations are to create something beautiful.

-Elisabet Curbelo