Break My Silence
Breaking My Silence is an ambitious recording and research project that reimagines the boundaries of the classical piano canon through the voices of five extraordinary women composers: Ethel Smyth, Henriëtte Bosmans, Jennifer Higdon, Eve Beglarian, and Annea Lockwood.
Created by pianist and educator Yi Wang as the culmination of her doctoral studies, the project represents years of artistic exploration, scholarly research, and creative advocacy. Spanning more than a century of musical innovation, Breaking My Silence brings together composers whose works challenge convention, redefine artistic expression, and offer powerful perspectives that have too often remained at the margins of classical music history.
At its core, the project is a celebration of artistic courage. From Smyth's bold and uncompromising musical language to Lockwood's groundbreaking explorations of sound, each composer featured in the project represents a unique vision of what music can be. Together, their works reveal a rich and diverse landscape that expands our understanding of the piano repertoire and the stories it can tell.
More than a recording project, Breaking My Silence is a statement of artistic purpose. It reflects Wang's commitment to discovering overlooked repertoire, challenging traditional narratives, and creating space for voices that deserve greater recognition on today's concert stages.
Through performance, research, and public engagement, Breaking My Silence invites audiences to listen beyond familiar traditions and experience a broader, richer, and more inclusive vision of classical music.
Listen
Ethel Smyth
Variations on an Original Theme (Of an Exceedingly Dismal Nature) in D-flat Major (1878)
Henriëtte Bosmans
Zes Preludes (Six Preludes)
Jennifer Higdon
Secret and Glass Garden
Ethel Smyth (1858–1944)
Written when Smyth was just twenty years old, Variations on an Original Theme (Of an Exceedingly Dismal Nature) in D-flat Major is a striking display of ambition, individuality, and compositional mastery. Beginning with a deliberately somber theme, the work transforms its material through a series of contrasting variations that range from lyrical and introspective to virtuosic and dramatic. The piece not only demonstrates Smyth’s extraordinary talent as a young composer, but also offers a glimpse into the bold artistic voice that would later challenge both musical and social conventions.
Henriëtte Bosmans (1895–1952)
Henriëtte Bosmans was among the most remarkable Dutch composers of the twentieth century, yet her music remains largely unknown outside specialized circles today. Her Zes Preludes (Six Preludes), written in 1917–1918, offer an intimate glimpse into the creative voice of a young composer whose works combine emotional depth, harmonic sophistication, and lyrical beauty. Within these miniatures, Bosmans creates richly varied musical landscapes that reflect both Romantic influences and a uniquely personal musical language. The preludes stand as early evidence of a composer whose artistic voice would continue to evolve despite the social and political challenges that marked much of her life and career.
Jennifer Higdon (b. 1962)
As one of the leading voices in contemporary American music, Jennifer Higdon has earned international recognition for her colorful, expressive, and highly individual compositional style. In Secret and Glass Gardens, she creates a musical journey through contrasting emotional and sonic spaces, balancing moments of introspection with passages of brilliance and vitality. The work reflects Higdon's fascination with color, texture, and atmosphere. Rather than following a traditional narrative, the music invites listeners to experience shifting landscapes of sound, where delicate lyricism and luminous harmonies emerge from constantly evolving musical textures. Through its imagination, sensitivity, and emotional depth, Secret and Glass Gardens offers a compelling example of Higdon's distinctive contribution to contemporary piano literature.
Eve Beglarian
Miranda’s Kiss (1988)
Eve Beglarian (b. 1958)
A leading figure in New York's downtown music scene, Eve Beglarian is known for her highly personal and eclectic musical language, drawing inspiration from contemporary classical music, performance art, technology, and everyday life. Her works often explore themes of identity, human connection, and social boundaries through a distinctive blend of imagination and emotional honesty.
Composed in 1988, Miranda's Kiss was inspired by James Merrill's The Changing Light at Sandover and depicts the playful encounter between David Merrill and Miranda, a chimpanzee who communicated through sign language. Through shifting meters, unexpected gestures, and a sense of spontaneity, Beglarian captures both the humor and tenderness of this unusual relationship.
Beyond its narrative inspiration, the work reflects broader themes of acceptance and connection across perceived differences. The "kiss" becomes a symbol of understanding, curiosity, and the willingness to embrace relationships that challenge conventional expectations. Balancing playfulness with deeper emotional meaning, Miranda's Kiss exemplifies Beglarian's unique ability to transform personal stories into music of universal resonance.
Annea Lockwood
Ear-Walking Woman (1996)
Annea Lockwood (b. 1939)
New Zealand-born American composer Annea Lockwood is internationally recognized for her pioneering contributions to experimental music and sound art. Throughout her career, she has explored the relationship between sound, environment, and human perception, creating works that challenge traditional ideas of what music can be. Commissioned by pianist Lois Svard, Ear-Walking Woman is an imaginative work for prepared piano that transforms the instrument into a rich landscape of unexpected sounds. Drawing upon the prepared piano tradition pioneered by John Cage, Lockwood employs a variety of unconventional objects—including screws, bubble wrap, and a water glass—to alter the piano's sonic possibilities.
At the heart of the work is Lockwood's concept of "ear-walking," a process of exploratory listening in which performers discover new sonic landscapes through attentive observation and experimentation. Much like a traveler encountering unfamiliar terrain, the pianist is invited to listen deeply to the subtle variations created by each object and gesture. Through this playful yet profound exploration of sound, Ear-Walking Woman encourages both performer and listener to experience music as an act of curiosity, discovery, and wonder.