Her Music, Her Story

Born in Almansa, Spain in 1982, Sonia Megías is a composer, singer, and multidisciplinary artist whose imagination refuses to be boxed in. She calls her expanded notations partituras raras (“strange scores”), and they can take many form, video-scores, tactile scores, edible scores, even skirt-scores. For Megías, a score is not just a set of instructions, but an artwork in itself, a playful and ritualistic path toward sound. Her projects often focus on community and transformation. Megías has written a fascinating body of piano works, each with its own personality. Two highlights stand out: SoLnatina-  Her playful twist on the sonatina form. It’s witty, light, and self-aware, bending classical expectations while keeping its charm. Pianists will find it both humorous and thought-provoking, as if the piece is smiling at tradition while inventing its own rules. Suite de Alejandría-  Written for pianist-singer , this suite dissolves the boundary between performer and narrator. Th...

Galina Ustvolskaya (1919–2006) , a Russian composer and student of Shostakovich, carved out a voice so singular that even her teacher called her music “a force of nature.” Often stark, uncompromising, and deeply spiritual, her works are unforgettable for their intensity and raw honesty.  Ustvolskaya rejected trends, fashions, and even the influence of her own teacher, forging a style of absolute conviction.  Her music is direct and searing, built from pounding rhythms, dense clusters, and unrelenting energy. It’s not easy listening, but it is unforgettable.  Her piano sonatas are the heart of her output. They are works of enormous physical and emotional challenge, often sparse yet overwhelming in power.  For pianists, performing Ustvolskaya means entering a world of complete intensity, where every note is charged with meaning. Though long underappreciated, her works have now been embraced internationally. Pianists, ensembles, and listeners continue to rediscover he...

Unsuk Chin (b. 1961) is a South Korean composer whose music is dazzling in both imagination and craft. Now based in Berlin, she’s celebrated worldwide for her bold orchestral colors, intricate rhythms, and the dreamlike quality that often permeates her works. Her approach combines rigorous structure with a sense of fantasy, her pieces feel like journeys into other worlds.  Chin’s style is often described as kaleidoscopic. She draws inspiration from everything from literature and myth to mathematics, transforming ideas into vibrant soundscapes. Her works often balance playfulness and complexity, creating music that is both intellectually rigorous and emotionally gripping.  Her Études for piano are among her most striking contributions to the repertoire. Demanding both technically and mentally, they explore sound in dazzling new ways, stretching the instrument’s possibilities. Pianists who take on Chin’s music find themselves in a universe where virtuosity meets poetry. Ch...

Agata Zubel (b. 1978) is one of Poland’s most dynamic and fearless voices in contemporary music. A composer, singer, and advocate for the new, she blurs the lines between genres and traditions, crafting works that are at once experimental and deeply expressive. Whether she’s writing for piano, orchestra, or her own astonishing voice, Zubel’s music pushes boundaries and invites listeners into sound worlds they didn’t know existed. Zubel is known for her bold use of texture, rhythm, and extended techniques. She often treats instruments and the human voice as vehicles for new sonic possibilities rather than as traditional tools. Her works explore extremes: delicate whispers and explosive gestures, silence and saturation, fragility and power. This daring approach has earned her international recognition, with performances at leading festivals and commissions from top ensembles around the world. While Zubel is widely celebrated for her vocal works, her piano music offers the same intensi...

Vítězslava Kaprálová (1915–1940) was a rising star whose life was tragically cut short at the age of 25, but in that short span left behind a body of music that glows with individuality, confidence, and daring. Born in Brno, Czech Republic, she was both a composer and a conductor, trained by masters like Bohuslav Martinů and quickly recognized as one of the most promising talents of her generation. Kaprálová’s music combines lyrical intensity with striking harmonic colors. She had a gift for weaving Czech folk influences into modern textures, creating music that feels deeply personal yet connected to her cultural roots. Beyond her compositions, she made history as one of the few women of her era to step onto the conductor’s podium, leading orchestras in Prague and Paris. Her piano works shimmer with vitality. Pieces like the Dubnová preludia (April Preludes), Op. 13 reveal her fresh harmonic language, lyrical expressiveness, and rhythmic bite. These preludes are concise yet packed ...

Mary Kouyoumdjian (b. 1983) is a composer who refuses to let music stay silent in the face of history. Born in California to Armenian parents, she grew up with stories of displacement, survival, and resilience. Those stories have fueled her creativity and made her one of today’s most compelling voices, especially for the way she blends contemporary classical music with recorded sound, memory, and identity. Kouyoumdjian’s works often explore themes of war, exile, and cultural heritage. By weaving in documentary recordings, such as interviews with survivors of the Armenian Genocide, the Lebanese Civil War, or the Syrian refugee crisis, she transforms music into an act of remembrance. Her pieces are as much about listening to voices of the past as they are about hearing new sounds. While Kouyoumdjian writes for many ensembles, her piano works stand out for their intimacy and expressive range. Her piano piece Aghavni/ Doves is a powerful entry point into her world. With clarity and ...

Dora Pejačević (1885–1923) was a trailblazer in Croatian music and one of the first women from the region to make a lasting mark as a composer. Born into an aristocratic family in Budapest, she grew up surrounded by culture, privilege, and expectation. But Dora was never content to remain just a “countess.” Instead, she used her talent and curiosity to become one of Croatia’s most significant early 20th-century composers. Pejačević composed over 50 works in her short life, spanning orchestral music, chamber works, songs, and piano pieces. Her music bridges late Romanticism and early modernism, with echoes of Brahms and Strauss. The piano was central to her creativity. Works like her  Piano Sonata in A-flat Major, Op. 57 reveal her technical command and expressive depth.  She also left behind miniatures like Life of Flowers (Blumenleben), Op. 19 , a cycle of nature-inspired pieces.  Her piano writing is rich, emotional, and pianistically rewarding, making it a fantastic...

Avniye Nazife Aral Güran (1921–1993) was a powerhouse of creativity, yet her name is still far too little known outside of Turkey. Born in Vienna to a Turkish diplomat father, Güran’s life was truly international. She studied in Istanbul, Berlin, Cologne, and Ankara, blending European classical traditions with the cultural richness of her homeland. Güran composed over 1,000 works across nearly every genre: piano music, lieder, orchestral scores, children’s songs, marches, and dramatic ballades. Her output shows a composer who was tireless, imaginative, and determined to bring Turkish culture into dialogue with Western forms. Three Concert Études (1979) showcase her modernist side—virtuosic, structured, and demanding.  At the same time, shorter pieces such as Kennedy Nocturne , İlkbahar (“Spring”), and Boğaziçinde İkebana reveal her gift for intimacy and atmosphere. These miniatures sparkle with character and are perfect for pianists looking to bring something new and meaningf...

Sofia Gubaidulina (1931- 2025) is one of the most fascinating and uncompromising composers of our time. Born in Tatarstan, she studied at the Moscow Conservatory and was often criticized by Soviet authorities for being too “irresponsible” in her search for new sounds. Dmitri Shostakovich, however, told her to continue on her “mistaken path”—encouraging her to stay true to her vision. And she did. Her music is often described as spiritual, mystical, and deeply symbolic. For Gubaidulina, composition is not just about notes on the page—it’s a form of searching for truth. She often uses contrasts (silence vs. sound, light vs. darkness, tension vs. release) to create works that feel both philosophical and intensely emotional. For us pianists, her output is small but powerful. Her early Chaconne (1962) is one of her most frequently performed works. It’s built on a repeating bass line, but don’t expect a Baroque-style chaconne—this one grows into something dramatic, dissonant, and modern, ...