Staff writer Arianna Lewis reviews an atmospheric concert by acclaimed pianist Conrad Tao at Miller Theater!

On October 13, Miller Theater hosted a pop-up concert by pianist Conrad Tao. Free alcoholic drinks and even on-stage seating were available if you arrived by 5:30 pm. The piece was a solo composed by David Fulmer, dedicated to Tao and inspired by Ezra Pound’s poetry. Titled “I have loved a stream and a shadow,” the piece wove together images of season, memory, and place. 

When Tao came to the stage and introduced “I have loved a stream and a shadow,” he mentioned a few notes from Fulmer. (1) This piece would be “highly dimensional, delicate, and break the musical surface.” (2) It would be interactive, with Tao using his body and the piano as set pieces to fully express the music’s gravitas. (3) It would be evidence of Fulmer’s life, which, as Tao described it, was “celestial.” 

Around 6:15 pm, the lights dimmed, and we entered the pianist’s world. Harsh notes started the piece, intense and moody, almost fitting for a chase scene in an 80s horror movie. The rest of the piece added to that mood, continuing with dark and gritty sounds, harping on relentlessly with little time for you to catch your breath. When there were breaks, it was for Tao to reach his hand into the piano and mess with a few strings, allowing the audience to hear the different sounds that can be made beyond the keys. Nothing was exactly uniform or concrete, a surprise within every new note and movement. 

Tao’s skills are not to be underestimated; the way that his fingers moved to play long strings of music was very immersive. I was on the edge of my seat with each passing moment, waiting to hear what would come next. 

Towards the end of the performance, Tao incorporated vocal techniques such as humming and harmonizing. His voice was a low bass while the piano was a rough organ, a contrast that was jarring at first but much needed. The bittersweet peacefulness of life was like that: beautiful at some points, yet always carrying that harsh brass that keeps you on your toes. 

Being in the theater, you were meant to sit with these notes, with your emotions, and grasp the message of life that Tao was throwing at you. Filled with momentum and aspects of chaos, this piece really grabbed my attention as a representation of what midterm season felt like. 

Having not heard of poet Ezra Pound before this performance, I wanted to research who he was and what influenced this piece. One of his most famous pieces is In a Station of the Metro, a 14-word, two-line imagist classic written in 1913. While the poem is relatively simple, hinting at the ghostly nature of crowded subway stations, it is certainly relatable as a student from the city who now spends the majority of my time in the most crowded spaces. While I don’t believe this was the specific poem that inspired David Fulmer, I understand how his ideas could have sprung from Pound’s work. 

Conrad’s Tao’s pop-up was my first time in Miller Theater. The setting was perfect for the piece: dim and moody, enough to make the sound sit with me hours after I left. Even while eating dinner, I still felt that ominous nature haunt me, crowding my mind as I remembered the way Tao interacted with the keys. It was mesmerizing and an experience I don’t think I will have again for a little while. 

Thank you, Tao, for allowing me to hear the ups and downs of life in a way that was unfamiliar to me. Now when someone asks how I’m doing, I’ll say: “Today is like ‘I have loved a stream and a shadow.'” 

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