On May 3, pianist and educator Min Kwon presented a curated concert at Lamington Presbyterian Church in Bedminster, New Jersey, as part of her ambitious ongoing project, America the Beautiful—a large-scale initiative that has commissioned more than 70 leading contemporary American composers to each create a variation on the patriotic song America the Beautiful. What began as a bold artistic vision, once doubted by some in the music world, has evolved into a platform celebrating diversity, unity, and the many voices that shape American identity.
The concert featured ten pianists from the Rutgers University Mason Gross School of the Arts, including faculty, alumni, and students, who together explored a striking range of compositional styles and musical perspectives. Opening the program, Kwon performed America the Beautiful alongside America/Desh, a work infused with Indian musical influences, setting the tone for an evening centered on cultural dialogue and artistic exploration.
Pianist Robert Grohman followed with compelling performances of Halcyon Skies by Jessica Meyer and Passage by Gabriel Jenks. The highly contemporary harmonic language often obscured recognizable melody, yet Grohman’s nuanced control of tone and texture transformed complexity into clarity. His interpretations revealed both the poetic atmosphere of Halcyon Skies and the sense of movement and reflection embedded within Passage, offering audiences an accessible entry into contemporary musical expression.
Pianist Jin Du’s interpretation of Quddish by David Ludwig, inspired by Jewish liturgical chant. Marked by dramatic shifts between extreme high and low registers, the work created an almost ritualistic sonic landscape.
Through deeply expressive playing and careful attention to the work’s spiritual intensity, Jin Du brought remarkable emotional depth to the performance, guiding listeners through an experience that felt less like a recital and more like a meditation on reverence, mystery, and transcendence.
The program continued with To Be Beautiful by Charles Coleman, unfolding through a restrained and reflective opening before the familiar melody of America the Beautiful gradually emerged, evoking a sense of memory and recognition.
Several other performances highlighted the diversity of the project. Pianist Lewis Fang delivered an energetic interpretation of Of Liberating Strife by Michael Gandolfi, featuring extended techniques that required direct interaction with the piano strings, including striking effects produced by scraping with fingernails. Brilliant octave passages added urgency and theatricality to the work.
Korean pianist Chaihum Kim performed New Jersey by Donnacha Dennehy, offering a contrasting atmosphere of lyricism and fluidity. Continuous left-hand patterns beneath an ethereal melodic line created expansive sonic landscapes reminiscent of oceans and open horizons.
The evening concluded with Ameritango by Jed Distler, performed by Tiago Rosario. Filled with fiery tango rhythms and infectious energy, the work brought a spirited close to the concert, with audience members visibly responding to its dance-like momentum.
Beyond music, the event expanded into spoken word and visual storytelling. Christine Todd Whitman, who served as New Jersey’s first female governor from 1994 to 2001 and is now co-founder and co-chair of the States United Democracy Center, introduced poetry readings before selected works, adding further layers of reflection and context.
Following the performances, Korean photographer Park Joon presented images drawn from his journeys across all 50 U.S. states—many traveled multiple times over more than 200,000 miles. His photography, much like the music heard throughout the evening, reflected an ongoing search for identity, beauty, and meaning within the American landscape.
Bringing together more than 70 compositional voices under a single theme, America the Beautiful has become more than a commissioning project. In Bedminster, it emerged as a conversation about memory, culture, and belonging—one in which music served as both mirror and bridge across the many dimensions of the American experience.
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