Guest pianist steals hearts at concert

Kellie Bowen, Staff Writer

The stage lights glinted off the sleek black grand piano. Natalya Antonova took the stage with grace, bowed, and began.

Antonova played a series of Chopin pieces at Ice Auditorium on Friday night. The playlist included: Rondo in C minor, Op. 1; Nocturne in A-flat major, Op. 32; 12 Pre- ludes, Op. 28; Nocturne in F major, Op. 15; Fantasy in F minor, Op. 29; and Andante Spianato and Grand Polonaise in E-flat major, Op. 22.

Without reading any music in front of her, Antonova’s hands flew all over the keyboard in a transcendent manor. The audience could see it in her face that she was one with the music when she played.

Of course, at the end of the concert, Antonova was applauded into an encore. She told the audience that she found it fitting to play the last song that Chopin ever composed as the concert’s finale.

The title of the song is Mazurka Opus 68. No. 4. It was a two minute melancholic song, but played just as beautifully as the rest.