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Don Freund: Composition Lessons with Johann Sebastian Bach

Composer and Indiana University Jacobs School of Music faculty member Don Freund has a long history with Johann Sebastian Bach. "I started playing piano when I was six or seven. The first pieces that had any substance were little pieces by Bach and I've loved him ever since. In fact most days late at night, say around one, I'll sit down and play some preludes and fugues. It relaxes and focuses me and of course keeps the fingers limber."

Freund is presenting his composition lessons in four talks built around the music from book one of Bach's Well Tempered Clavier. The talks are on Sundays September 13, 20, 27 and October 4th. He'll be using the resources of the Simon Building's Sweeney Hall along with his piano. "I'll have three screens set up so that I can project the scores with colored markings for the parts that I want to focus on. It's great to have the kind of resource because it will really allow the examples, the illustrations and the comments to flow. There's a lot to talk about."

In addition to the talks and analysis, Freund will also be playing the pieces in two concerts, Friday October 2nd and Saturday the 3rd. "I've chosen to play in a small venue, Ford-Crawford Hall. So, I'm playing the same program twice to accommodate people. It will be the same pieces each night, but I do like to change my articulation when I play Bach. He's such a master of both the notes and the spaces and I just can't resist the creative opportunities that his music offers."

Composition Lessons with Johann Sebastian Bach

Don Freund

Sweeney Hall, September 13, 20 and 27 and October 4, 2009

The Well Tempered Clavier, Book 1

Don Freund, piano

Ford-Crawford Hall, October 2nd and 3rd, 2009

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