Alex Mecum

This is a #throwback from 2011 playing Nocturne in e minor opus 72 no. 1 by #Chopin . Whenever I play it, I remember a friend and mentor of mine. I first performed it live at his funeral 15 years ago. He was only 25 and left a wife and two small children because of #cancer . It was really the first time I had experienced the death of someone close. I chose to play this piece at his funeral and I still think it very appropriate because I feel it illustrated loss as it is experienced. It's comprised of two themes. The first is a #melancholy theme that speaks to the #somber reality of loss and the passion to highlight the void we can feel when we experience that loss. However, the second brings to my mind #peace that everything will be alright in the end and that we will be ok despite any loss that we may feel at the time. Everything will turn out alright - #pain and #suffering is not forever. (at Aurora, Colorado) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxNgQJOlSp8/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=11ey253r24adj

This is a #throwback from 2011 playing Nocturne in e minor opus 72 no. 1 by #Chopin . Whenever I play it, I remember a friend and mentor of mine. I first performed it live at his funeral 15 years ago. He was only 25 and left a wife and two small children because of #cancer . It was really the first time I had experienced the death of someone close. I chose to play this piece at his funeral and I still think it very appropriate because I feel it illustrated loss as it is experienced. It's comprised of two themes. The first is a #melancholy theme that speaks to the #somber reality of loss and the passion to highlight the void we can feel when we experience that loss. However, the second brings to my mind #peace that everything will be alright in the end and that we will be ok despite any loss that we may feel at the time. Everything will turn out alright - #pain and #suffering is not forever. (at Aurora, Colorado) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxEAB1zgMmg/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1lzngtaos1kwt

This is a #throwback from 2011 playing Nocturne in e minor opus 72 no. 1 by #Chopin . Whenever I play it, I remember a friend and mentor of mine. I first performed it live at his funeral 15 years ago. He was only 25 and left a wife and two small children because of #cancer . It was really the first time I had experienced the death of someone close. I chose to play this piece at his funeral and I still think it very appropriate because I feel it illustrates loss as it is experienced. It's comprised of two themes. The first is a #melancholy theme that speaks to the #somber reality of loss and the passion to highlight the void we can feel when we experience that loss. However, the second brings to my mind #peace that everything will be alright in the end and that we will be ok despite any loss that we may feel at the time. Everything has an end - that includes #pain and #suffering . (at Aurora, Colorado) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxD6pcVlZdB/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=eiywjltkjpm4

at Aurora, Colorado https://www.instagram.com/p/BxC0O7Egj3R/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1apbsky6ct34o

This is a #fbf from 2011 playing Nocturne in e minor opus 72 no. 1 by #Chopin . Whenever I play it, I remember a friend and mentor of mine. I first performed it live at his funeral 15 years ago. He was only 25 and left a wife and two small children because of #cancer . It was really the first time I had experienced the death of someone close. I chose to play this piece at his funeral and I still think it very appropriate because I feel it illustrates loss as it is experienced. It's comprised of two themes. The first is a #melancholy theme that speaks to the #somber reality of loss and the passion to highlight the void we can feel when we experience that loss. However, the second brings to my mind #peace that everything will be alright in the end and that we will be ok despite any loss that we may feel at the time. Everything has an end - that includes #pain and #suffering . (at Aurora, Colorado) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxCz_3BAvod/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1wmqegn15cx1w

This is a pretty big #fbf to 2011. Here I'm playing #Chopin's Nocturne in e minor opus 72 no. 1. I first performed it live 15 years ago at the funeral for a friend and mentor of mine. He was only 25 years old and left a wife and two young children because of cancer. It was probably my first real experience with losing someone close. Playing this piece still reminds me of him. It's a very appropriate piece to play in my opinion because of the opposing dynamics in the piece. It consists of two themes that contrast in such a beautiful way. The first theme is rather #melancholy in a way that really speaks to the #somber situation such as a funeral but with passion that speaks to the void that we feel when someone leaves us. The second theme, however, is the message we're left with at the end of the piece. This one reminds me of the calm and #peace we can feel during these times with a reassurance that our loved ones aren't in pain anymore and that things will always be ok in the end. https://www.instagram.com/p/BxBJYgag-jc/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=4ctmswldh80

Many of you will probably recognize #rachmaninoff 's 18th variation on a theme by Paganini if you ever listen to #popular #classicalmusic and I would say that it's probably one of my #favorite pieces for #piano and #orchestra as well. However, I think it's the #dark contrast that comes from the 17th variation that gives the 18th its #beauty . In a like manner, I don't think we can know #happiness unless we experience #darkness and #sadness . I've learned to #appreciate #emotions as they come. I feel like the variance of emotions is important in #motivating us to do more or change something in our lives. In my opinion, the only real dangerous emotion is the one where you don't feel anything. You're neither happy nor sad; the absence of contrast. Instead you just feel dead and #unmotivated . If any of you feel like this, just know that you are not alone and that it probably happens to everyone sometime in their life. In saying this, I hope you all find something to be happy about today, or if you're sad, be sad in a way that inspires you to make changes you need for yourself. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bt6GtuaHu3X/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=t6bpk6x9rypk