Frumoasa Mea

Chris Hartley

I wrote this piece in my last semester at Lake Forest College, with some good technical advice from my Jazz piano instructor Chris White. I chose the title “Frumoasa Mea,” which means “My Beautiful” in Romanian, as I hoped to flatter my girlfriend – though I understand the phrase to be less mawkish in that language. Only half serious, I added the French “Etude de Concert,” meaning “Concert Study,” because it is meant for a solo performance and requires an awkward movement of the hands that has made both of my piano instructors grimace. My performance of the piece, as well as the overall structure, reflect my lack of musical training in many ways, but it remains the most coherent piece I’ve put together since I began teaching myself at age 4. Aside from the missed notes and the absence of important dynamics, the piece follows the awkward step of 11/8 time, which is a meter that other composers have not explored for many good reasons. I have yet to reach an audience beyond the few people who attended the piano recital at Lake Forest College in December 2007. I hope you enjoy it.

Chris Hartley

Year in Medical School: 1st

Place of birth:
Birmingham, Alabama

Where you grew up:
Uniontown, Pennsylvania

College:
Lake Forest College

Major in college:
History

Goals (medical school and beyond): Success that avoids vanity, and brings others along.

Personal Philosophy on life and/or medicine: “I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once.” – Ashleigh Brilliant

Favorite quote: “Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music." -Sergei Rachmaninoff