Piano Concerto - Remembrance

I met Kael in 2015. His work in the company of a close relative made his presence a constant in my life for the next 4 years. Courteous, funny, with a kind heart and an infectious laugh, it was hard not to take a liking to him.
His sudden death in 2019, at the age of 22, had a profound impact on me. I was about to start a distance master's degree at the University of Birmingham and I was planning to write a symphonic work. The decision to dedicate it to him was immediate and I remembered that he had asked me several times if I could teach him to play the piano. That was how I decided to write a concerto for piano and orchestra.
A short time later, I also remembered that I had seen him reading "20 love poems and a song of despair" by Pablo Neruda. So, it occurred to me to take four poems from that book and use them as a source of inspiration: poems 4, 9, 15 and 14 (in that order).
Musically, the concerto is traditional, although with an enriched harmony. At times it approaches popular music and post-minimalism, and the second movement is influenced by Afro-Peruvian rhythms. The titles relate to the poems and suggest the general character of the music. The acronym that arises from them needs no explanation.
The memory of Kael will always remain with me. His smile, his love for life and his faithful and kind spirit will stay indelible. My concerto seeks to pay tribute to that memory, not to lament his early departure, but to celebrate his life.

01:07 - Kind
09:26 - Adventurous
17:38 - Emotional
25:00 - Lively

Diego Puertas, piano
Fernando Valcárcel, conductor
Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional del Perú (National Symphony Orchestra of Peru)
Teatro Manuel Ascencio Segura
Lima, December 10, 2022
Recording: National Symphony Orchestra of Peru
Cameraman: Juan Ayala Santillana

[warddevleeschhouwer]

Felicitaciones Antonio!! Que bonito concierto....

[nuevopianista]

que bonito concierto! una obra maestra, toda bien pensada con su toque de peruanidad característica como sello de una obra que atraerá la vista y escucha de muchos pianistas... felicitaciones Antonio... orgullo! y a ver si lo puedo hacer algún día aquí... en Trujilandia :D

[incawarrior]

It was my great honor to be at this performance, having timed my return to my homeland so that I could attend this premiere. I shall not soon forget it! Thank you, Antonio, for giving to us this work and for selflessly encouraging me, a fellow composer, as much as you have.