Music Projects

Ekelund began studying piano at the age of 6, continuing intensely throughout high school with Dr. Silvio Scionti, a founder of the North Texas University School of Music. He followed a completely different path at the university level, but throughout a long career in academic economics, the piano has been a constant avocation. After retirement from academic economics and as acting co-director of the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Art at Auburn University he returned to serious formal study with several professors, including Dr. Joshua Pifer of Valdosta State University’s Music Department. He competed in the 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2014 Van Cliburn YouTube Amateur competitions and has created CDs containing works by Bach, Chopin, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Greig, Ravel and Scott Joplin, among others. He has completed two new albums: Reflections on Childhood (2017), which includes the music of Robert Schumann, Debussy and Joaquin Turina. Musical Idioms (2018) with works by Debussy, Charles Tomlinson Griffes, Ginastera and Enrique Granados and He is currently completing an all Chopin album which will include Russian encores.

REVERIE CD

01 Bach Prelude (C Major) and Fugue (C Minor)
06 Chopin Nocturne Op. 15, No. 2
07 Chopin Mazurka Op. 24, No. 3
10 Ravel, Modéré from Sonatine
15 MacDowell “To a Wild Rose”

THE THREE B’S

05 Bach Allemande (French Suite, G Major)
06 Bach Gavotte (French Suite, G Major)
10 Beethoven Sonata Op. 10, No. 1 (Allegro)
11 Brahms Rhapsody Op. 79, No. 1 (Agitato)
13 Brahms Intermezzo Op. 118, No. 2 (Andante Teneramente)

REFLECTIONS ON CHILDHOOD

01 Schumann, Scenes from Childhood (About Strange Lands and People)
02 Schumann, Scenes from Childhood (Curious Story)
05 Schumann, Scenes from Childhood (Perfect Happiness)
07 Schumann, Scenes from Childhood (Reverie)
15 Debussy, Children’s Corner (Jumbo’s Lullaby)
18 Debussy, Children’s Corner, (The Little Shepherd)
28 Turina, Circe, Payasos (Clowns)

MUSICAL IDIOMS

01 Granados, Danzas Espanolas (Allegro)
03 Debussy, Estampas, La soriee dans Grenade
11 Bach, Prelude in C Major BWV 933
16 Bach, Prelude in E minor BWV 938
22 Debussy, La Cathédrale engloutie
23 Griffes, Three Tone Pictures, The Lake at Evening

Chopin Homage

Debussy Prelude

Joaquin Turina, Miniaturas (Complete)

J.S. Bach Sonata for Flute and Piano (Patrick McCurry, flutist)

Chopin, Five Preludes