Class Colloquium 17: The “Joy of Music” after Retirement

Class Colloquium:  Live Presentation, plus Q&A

In 2019 Eliot Norman (Davenport ’69)  swapped one type of practice (law) for another (piano).

Here he will demonstrate at the piano  his “trials and terrors” of learning and performing Chopin’s  astonishing Prelude No. 24:   “Of Blood, Of Earthly Pleasure, Of Death.”

Eliot was surprised that the process turned out not to be the  “solitary confinement” in the basement practice room that he had imagined— but a way to make new friendships and strengthen old ones through the music and its emotions.

Eliot hopes the story of his journey with Chopin will invite you to share your musical experiences as a listener or player or both in the Q&A that will follow.

Please register for the event and indicate any questions you’d like to see explored.

Click to register for this event:

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We will start promptly, so please JOIN the meeting 5-10 minutes early.

I hope you can attend.   Don’t forget to register and mark your calendars.

About Eliot Norman

At Yale Eliot majored in political science while accompanying the Freshman Glee Club, taking lessons at the School of Music, and playing recitals. From 1984 to 2008 Eliot accompanied the choir at the First Unitarian Universalist Church where he also performed solo works –from Bach to Beethoven to Gershwin.

After retirement in 2019, Eliot formed a classical trio, started giving concerts and public recitals and during Covid played online. A recent recital featured the Saint-Saens Septet in E flat Major (with classmate Harry Wise on trumpet, who originated the idea and graciously drove to Richmond for rehearsals from DC.) See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2YN9kIUpLE&t=2242s. His June 2022 recital was devoted totally to  Chopin, including Nocturnes and Etudes. He also played arrangements of Chopin for flute and cello and one by Verdi for soprano and piano of the “La Tristesse” Etude.

Eliot was also credited by Cleve Morris for Eliot’s “well placed kick in [my] ass” to actually paint the Viva Sicilia series, highlighted  in an earlier Newsletter.  https://yale1969.org/cleveland-morriss-viva-sicilia-debuts-dec-2nd/