A CMS Alumnus Profile: Sean Riedy
From Performing with the Moravian Orchestra to a Semester in Vienna
We love hearing from our CMS alumni!
CMS alumnus Sean Riedy was a piano student of Dr. David Saturen for three years and was the first recipient of the Martha Maletz Scholarship. In 2021, he and his father enrolled in the first music production class in our new recording studio. Sean grew up in Allentown and graduated from the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts in 2022. Piano is his main instrument, but he has also studied voice and cello. He is currently in his junior year at Moravian University in Bethlehem, where he is studying music theory.
This fall, Sean entered and won Moravian University’s Concerto Competition, which is held annually each spring. The winning student earns the honor of performing a solo with the Moravian University Orchestra in the fall. Sean said he “spent some time listening to a variety of concertos, such as those by Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, etc.” One of his closest friends, who plays timpani in the Orchestra and loves the music of Shostakovich inspired him to explore his “Piano Concerto No. 2.” Sean said, “I listened to it, and it immediately sealed the deal for me!”
Sean explained, “Shostakovich is often known for writing very bleak and agitated music, but the “Piano Concerto No. 2” stands in stark contrast to much of his work and has a sense of joy, buoyancy, and clarity. He wrote the piece for his 20-year-old son, Maxim, who was studying at the Moscow Conservatory. Through the work you can sense the love that the elder Shostakovich had for his son. Much of the work consists of scalar or octave passages, almost like a technical exercise. In fact, as a theme, the third movement playfully uses excerpts from the Hanon exercises, a common series of technical exercises that many beginning pianists study. The whole work is both gorgeous and playful, and when I first listened to it, I knew I had to play it.”
On Sunday, November 10, 2024, in the Foy Concert Hall, Sean performed the piano solo for Dmitri Shostakovich’s “Piano Concerto No. 2” with the Moravian University Orchestra). The Orchestra is open to college and community instrumentalists by audition. The program also included Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 7” and Mendelssohn’s “Hebrides Overture”. Sean said of the experience, “I spent nearly a year preparing for the concert, but it was definitely worth it. I was very satisfied with how everything turned out. I’m extremely grateful that I had the opportunity to play such a lovely piece with the Moravian University Orchestra,and to be able to work with the new conductor, Theodor Kuchar. It was an incredible learning experience.” A recording of the performance is available to enjoy on Sean’s YouTube Channel here.
Sean’s dedication to his piano studies has led him to an opportunity to study this semester in Vienna, Austria, the classical music capital of the world. Vienna was the home and workplace of many notable composers, including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Joseph Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, the Strauss family, Johannes Brahms, and Gustav Mahler.
We wish Sean well as he continues his musical adventure in the heart of Europe!
Above: Sean visits the LEGO “Mozart” at Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Geburtshaus” in Salzburg, Austria. The Mozart family resided on the third floor of No. 9 Getreidegasse in Salzburg from 1747 to 1773. Mozart was born in the house on January 27, 1756. “Mozart’s Birthplace” is now one of the most visited museums in the world.
Sean shared a few photos from his travels: (above, left) The grave of Franz Schubert at the Vienna Central Cemetery, where many other well-known composers such as Beethoven and Brahms are also buried. (above, right) A Beethoven monument located at the Beethovenplatz, across the street from the Konzerthaus, one of the major performance venues in Vienna.