Submitted by Kaitlyn Wells
On the night of April 19, senior musician Ethan Hamlin performed a successful piano concert in the Arts Complex Rehearsal Hall, completing one of the remaining requirements before graduation this spring.
After an audience of friends and family warmly welcomed him to his piano bench, Hamlin took a moment to compose himself, later saying, “those first 10-15 seconds are a really crucial part of performing because you only have a split second to tap into that muscle memory you developed while you were practicing and at the same time you have to immediately block out any kind of distraction that’s coming from the audience.” This is just one of the many factors flying through his head before he starts each piece, but the discipline paid off as his entire body mirrored his expression and mood of each piece.
The setlist included selections from the works of Claude Debussy and Johann Sebastian Bach, which meant hours of practice went into the execution of techniques taught over the course of the Contemporary Musicianship program. Hamlin admitted, “for some of the stuff I performed, it took me multiple years of training to develop the finger strength and the proper technique to play those compositions adequately.” His performance of Arabesque No. 2, Trois Gymnopedies, and other compositions earned roars of applause at the close of each piece that couldn’t make it more obvious that the devotion paid off.
After the intermission, Hamlin stood before his audience, thanking friends, family, and professors that supported him through his musical pursuit as well as his audience for attending.
And with only one song left, Hamlin confided, “well, I didn’t really expect to play this song at first.” Sharing a story of tragedy and remembrance, Hamlin revealed the meaning behind his song, "Another Song for a Girl (Heather)."
Not long before he came to Middle Georgia, Hamlin had a life-long friend that he’d known from a very young age named Heather who unexpectedly lost her life during their senior year of high school.
Hamlin reflected on this difficult moment on the cusp of graduation, telling the audience, “she didn’t get to graduate or go to college like the rest of us. And in that moment, I tried to think as a friend what was the best way I could keep her memory alive. And it made me want to write this.”
Hamlin memorized and performed nine songs, pouring his heart out on the piano, and the response from his audience showed his hard work paid off. The endurance required an incredible level of discipline that is already taking him to stages across the United States. He’s shared the stage with members of The Allman Brothers Band and Lynard Skynard, bands he’s admired from a young age, and plans to be on the road to South Carolina playing gigs with The Restless Natives. For some aspiring musicians, Hamlin’s current performance career is a dream, and he’s worked to make that a reality for the last four years with the MGA music faculty who couldn’t be happier to see his achievement.
Ethan Hamlin practiced piano “during odd hours” for four years in available areas such as the Rehearsal Hall of the School of Arts and Letters for the successful completion of his degree in Contemporary Musicianship from Middle Georgia State University.