Abstract: As one of the characteristic genres with unique artistic charm in western music history, nocturne originated in the form of vocal works in medieval religious rites. After inheritance and development of time, the Irish composer John Field composed the first piano solo nocturne in 1812 as a pioneer, then opened up the field of nocturne composition as an independent piano instrumental genre, and later profoundly influenced the creation and development on the other fields and other genres. Four composers will be discussed in this lecture recital, namely John Field, Frédéric Chopin, Gabriel Fauré, and Francis Poulenc. Their works are excellent representatives of the features of nocturne in different periods. All of their nocturnes have similarities with each other in terms of musical influences or compositional innovation. We could study and explore how nocturne is inherited by these four composers from the 19th to the 20th Century and how it evolves as a genre.

Bio of the Speaker: Dr. Xuying Li currently work as an Assistant Professor of Music Performance in UIC. She received her bachelor’s degree from Xinghai Conservatory of Music in Guangzhou, China, and Master of Music degree at College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati, where she studied with Professor Dan Chen and Dr. Ran Dank. Later, she went to the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, School of Music to study for a doctorate degree, under the tutelage of Dr. Kyung Kim, the dean of the piano department, and served as a Collaborative Teaching Assistant at the School of Music. Dr. Li has a wealth of solo, chamber music and orchestra performance experience. She has held many solo concerts and ensemble chamber music concerts in China, US and Austria. She also has been invited to be choir accompanist form many competitions and concerts in China. At the same time, she focuses on the research of the ccompositional techniques of piano works in different periods and the development of Chinese and Western music history. She was highly praised by Dr. Emily Threinen, conductor of the University of Minnesota Wind Orchestra: “Her unique insights into music have given her music delicate and vivid, and she is beautiful musician with musical talent.”

The "Lunch Concert" series of lectures - "The Inheritance and Development of Piano Nocturnes in the 19th and 20th Century" brought by Dr. Li Xuying was held on November 26 at CC129 as scheduled. In this lecture, by learning the nocturne of four composers, understand how the nocturne was developed from the 19th century to the 20th century, and how it evolved into a genre. The lecture took the form of a combination of lecture and performance. The melodious sound of the piano uttered the charm of the nocturne. After the end, it won rounds of applause from the guests and audiences.