Resonances of tradition and innovation

This dissertation focuses on the three solo piano works by Maishuo Luo, a living Chinese composer currently working in Beijing and teaching at China Conservatory of Music. The pieces I chose to record and discuss for this project include Maishuo Luo’s Piano Etudes Op. 19, Piano Sonata No. 2, and Piano Sonata No. 3. These compositions seamlessly blend sounds inspired by traditional Chinese instruments and aesthetics with Western art music practices, creating a distinctive musical dialogue. By examining Maishuo’s use of traditional Chinese instruments such as the guqin and dizi, this dissertation explores how their characteristics are adapted and expressed in these important works for solo piano. The project also highlights the technical and interpretive challenges these works present to pianists. Through the recording of these works, the project aims to expand awareness of Maishuo’s contributions to the international field of piano repertoire.