Pianist returns home for Nov. 8 concert

When pianist Kate Boyd began planning a Midwest tour, it was only natural to include Rock Island, where she grew up and began her studies.

Boyd, a professor of music at Butler University, will perform at Augustana on Nov. 8. Although Boyd’s undergraduate education was at Oberlin, she also has ties to Augustana, where she studied with the Regina Fryxell and Judith Hersh.

“I started studying the piano at age 4, because my older brother was taking piano lessons and I was in a phase where I wanted to copy everything he did,” she said.

The Nov. 8 concert will be Boyd’s first in the Quad Cities in a decade. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Wallenberg Hall, on the second floor of the Denkmann Memorial Building on 7th Avenue. It is free and open to the public.

Beethoven, Chopin and Debussy

The program includes works by Beethoven, Chopin and Debussy.

“The Beethoven Sonata is an early one in E-flat Major, Op. 7. I love this piece because it's full of energy and good humor, and has a gorgeous slow movement,” she said.

The set of Chopin pieces are all in A-flat Major: his first impromptu, a mazurka, a prelude, and the Grande valse brilliante. 

“What I like about these pieces is to hear the different ways he writes in the same key,” Boyd said. “Also, I arranged the set so that each piece begins on the last note of the previous piece, which creates a continuous effect.”

The final two pieces are by Debussy: "Pagodes," from the Estampes suite, and "L'Isle joyeuse." Boyd said she chose these two pieces because they complement each other well. 

“'Pagodes' is contemplative and depicts pagodas in Japan, and 'L'Isle joyeuse' is a description (in music) of a painting that depicted a bacchanalean orgy on an island. It is a piece with tremendous variety and energy,” she said.

Expanding via YouTube

Boyd said that after her promotion to full professor at Butler in 2018, she began looking for ways to have a bigger impact in her teaching, since she could only work with 15-18 students a year.

So she started a YouTube channel, called The Piano Prof, where she posts teaching videos for her students and others who are learning the piano. 

"Building this channel and connecting with pianists all over the world has been a real shot in the arm for me," she said. "The experience of creating this channel has helped me realize that there is a big community of people who are as passionate about the piano as I am.

She has been doing a recital countdown on YouTube for her upcoming concerts for those who would like to follow her progress as she prepares.

Regina Fryxell

It’s a long way from her childhood lessons with Regina Fryxell, who died in 1993.

“I remember that she was a very kind person, a wonderful teacher and she had a house that was full of interesting artifacts to look at: geodes, animal skins, shells, cute cartoon books with musical jokes in them, a pump organ.

“I think this was because her husband (Augustana Professor Fritiof Fryxell) traveled a lot in his work as a geologist. She had an alligator skin draped over a wicker rocking chair, and a bear skin rug (with the head of the bear on it) on the floor. There were mounted animal heads on the walls. It's truly impossible to describe her living room. It was incredible to behold, especially as a child!”

Boyd bought Regina Fryxell’s 1926 Steinway Model L piano from her estate. She uses it as her practice instrument at home.