Breakup Etude for the Right Hand Alone (2020)

A minor finger injury in the summer of 2020 temporarily caused my two hands to “breakup” from each other. In looking around for repertoire to play, I discovered that there was very little written for the right hand alone—left-hand pieces are far more common. Therefore, I decided to write myself a virtuosic vehicle I can manage for my one available hand. The work features five fingers scampering up and down the keyboard incessantly, with lyrical and poignant music interspersed throughout. Breakup Etude for the Right Hand Alone is dedicated to myself and reflects my inner feelings, from loss and nostalgia to personal growth and discovery.

- Michael Stephen Brown

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Filmed in July 2021 at The Clearlight Performance Space at The Blue Building in New York City, New York. Originally produced for the Tippet Rise on Tour - August 2021 Festival. Performed by Michael Stephen Brown