Sunday, September 27, 2020

Polymath Pianist- Lydie Solomon

   My discovery of Lydie Solomon was very strange and unconventional. I was having a conversation with my eclectic, knowledgeable boyfriend about our childhood celebrity crushes. I was surprised when he mentioned Lydie Solomon, as most boys growing up in the 2000s might mention Emma Watson or Selena Gomez (however, knowing him, I shouldn't be surprised). Intrigued, I looked her up, and thus I began my search into the life of the internationally acclaimed and diversified pianist. 

    Born in Paris, France, Solomon hit the ground running in the world of music. At age two and learning completely by ear, she was able to recite Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" on her family piano. Solomon was admitted into l’Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris-Alfred Cortot at the age of five and gave her first concert at the Printemps Musical de Silly in Belgium at age ten. By nineteen, Solomon began touring throughout South Korea, performing pieces from her produced CD and conducted by the renowned Gum Nanse. Lydie Solomon continues to gain international recognition with age. Solomon grew up in an environment that fostered creativity and experimentation through piano. The freedom to play and learn music at an early age was undoubtedly foundational for her success as a composer. Rather than discovering her passion later in life, like Martha Graham, Lydie was more like Picasso, displaying strong aptitude for her field from an early age.

    The realm of piano did not limit Solomon's extent of wonder. After studying piano professionally, Solomon returned to school to receive an MBA. She has taken time away from music to act in French television shows. Lydie Solomon is also known for her singing, occasionally accompanying her piano performances. As a woman who speaks four fluent languages, English, Korean, French, and Spanish, it seems as though there's nothing that Solomon can't do. This polymathic personality challenges Gardner's study of creatives in a particular domain.


    Her masterful skill as a pianist was what originally brought Lydie Solomon to international recognition. Solomon's rendition of Mozart's Concerto No. 20 was described to have been played "with impeccable feeling" and her playing style is routinely expressed as "sensitive". However, Solomon directed and composed pieces for her concert program « De Chopin à Cuba » (Chopin in Cuba). While performing her Eldorado Trilogy Concert, a concert series inspired by Cuban composers, Solomon noticed musical subtleties that evoked the style of composer Frédéric Chopin. Solomon discovered that Cuban composer Nicolás Ruiz Espadero, who was trained by one of Chopin's prodigies, Juliana Fontana, developed a musical style that incorporates Cuban flare and Chopin's lyricism. Lydie Solomon's Chopin in Cuba communicates this cultural fusion by comparing Cuban compositions with Chopin's famous works. This analogy was never before recognized by the pianist community. Solomon's program illustrates the interconnectedness of a globalized music world, how music transcends oceans and cultures. Lydie compiled pieces from Cuban composers, Chopin, and Juliana Fontana, as well as composing her own song, <<Invocation>>. 

    Through Chopin in Cuba, Lydie Solomon displays the creative mechanism of convergent thinking. Solomon noticed the influence of Chopin in Cuban music. In order to solve this inquiry and understand this connection, Solomon utilized the habit of collecting. Using her knowledge of the domain of professional piano, Solomon determined the link between Nicolás Ruiz Espadero and Juliana Fontana to be the driving force for the development of Cuban classical style. Instead of letting her discovery sit, Solomon manipulated this information and created Chopin in Cuba to communicate this connection to the public. Additionally, Chopin in Cuba is fundamentally collaborative. Solomon must interact with different composers in order to create Chopin in Cuba. Creating a piano program requires interaction between the individual and other pianists in the field. 


    Overall, I would assess Lydie Solomon as a Pro-C creative. Though recognized in the field of professional pianists, Solomon has yet to reach international recognition throughout the domain of music at the level of modern musicians like Yo-Yo Ma or (I suppose) Kenny G. Solomon's discovery and commentary on the influence of Chopin in Cuban music are important to the development of professional piano, yet do not deem her as a Big-C creative. It's possible that Solomon's desire to explore and dabble in a variety of domains hinders her from making large impacts in one specific domain. Rather than allowing herself to specialize, Solomon desires to learn skills from many domains. Her time is not exclusively spent developing creative strides for piano. However, this in no way undermines Solomon's many achievements. Solomon's career speaks for her masterful piano playing. She is an internationally renowned musician and doesn't cease to continue to learn about the world, a quality that might not encourage Big-C creativity, but certainly for a deeper, interdisciplinary view of the world.

    I encourage you to search for Lydie Solomon's performances on Youtube. She's truly incredible.



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