When Ericsson Hatfield came to NYU Prague in 2015 as a sophomore to study music, he didn’t expect that one year later, he would return to Prague to have his compositions professionally performed and recorded by his former professor.
But that is exactly where his studies in the NYU Prague music program led him.
While in Prague Ericsson (Steindhardt, 2018), a student of violin and composition, studied piano with Dr. Petra Matejova, an award-winning Czech pianist specializing in early music and fortepiano playing. When Ericsson presented one of his compositions to her during a class, she offered to play it at the music students’ recital.
“In the USA this would never happen – professors are much more separated from their students, and you have to pay a lot of money to have a professional play a new piece,” Ericsson explained.
Their collaboration did not end with the recital and Ericsson’s return to the US. They stayed in touch by email, with Ericsson writing new pieces inspired by Petra’s specialization in early music and Petra offering technical advice. “Ericsson specializes in a style of music – Baroque – that is rare for a 20 year old. I have met very few people who could write fugues in this form – and he does it very well,” she said.
When NYU’s Tonemeisters started planning a trip to Prague for the summer of 2016 during which they would make sound recordings in different spaces in the city, Petra suggested that they use Ericsson’s compositions – resulting in the first professional recordings of Ericsson’s pieces.
“I prefer to perform brand new pieces rather than pieces that millions of people play,” explained Petra Matejova. “So when the Tonemeisters contacted me, I thought why not record something with more of a connection to NYU?”
When the Tonemeister’s recordings were successful, Petra and Ericsson decided they wanted to record more – enough for a first album. Thanks to a crowdfunding campaign, Ericsson could cover the costs associated with recording his new pieces in Prague, including his airfare and the studio. This past January, Petra and Ericsson rehearsed new pieces.
Their work is a true collaboration between two artists. “I believe music should be a communal experience between the performer and the composer – I wrote pieces so Petra could improvise and show off her skills,” explained Ericcson. “I admire greatly the sophistication of Petra’s playing and her approach to my pieces. She puts in quite a bit of time, and quite a bit of thought. She is brilliant in her interpretations and her technical executions.”
Petra also appreciates their musical partnership. “I have never had so much interaction with a composer – that is the advantage of working with talented students – perhaps I dare to have more open discussions with them. It is a very organic process, very creative.”
When finished, the album will be posted on iTunes and submitted for consideration on streaming services. Ericsson, who is from Palm Beach, Florida has also been discussing the possibilities of holding a public concert at the local arts center to celebrate the release of the album. He hopes that if the event occurs, they could also raise enough funds to invite Petra to perform at the event.
How did studying in Prague influence Ericsson? “Studying [in Prague] was much more calm than in NYC. I could focus on my composition, and I had time to practice, to experiment. Here friendships with teachers are genuine. I miss my teachers the same way I miss my friends.”
“Also in Prague, audiences [at classical concerts] are more engaged – you have everyone, all incomes, all ages. The first time I came to Prague I went to a student concert in a church. It was standing room only. In New York you have to work to get two benches full.”
Ericcson’s plans for the future? He hopes to continue to study composition at graduate school at Juilliard or Yale. “Baroque music is experiencing a resurgence. Julliard started an early music department. American composers are going back to Renaissance/Baroque music.”
You can hear several of Ericsson’s pieces here: https://soundcloud.com/petramatejova
This piece was written by Leah Gaffen of NYU Prague.