If you're here, we've probably met already and you know the spiel, but in case you don't: my name is Walton Lott, DMA. I've been performing piano for the better part of three decades, with a particular penchant for the music of the 20th and 21st centuries.

I recently completed a recording project of two pieces for piano that reflect this particular interest: Frederic Rzewski's Four Pieces for Piano and John Harbison's Piano Sonata #2. I'm very excited to announce that Neuma Records is interested in publishing the project!

Publishing a record is no easy feat, nor is it a money maker when publishing in the niche field of contemporary classical piano music. So, I've launched this gofundme project with the hopes of covering some of the extensive costs associated with publishing a record. Not only will a donation help get this project across the finish line, it will also guarantee you receive a copy of a physical CD, complete with a booklet of liner notes and pictures from the recording session.

A bit about the two pieces: Rzewski's 1976 piece showcases his eclectic compositional style through which he elevates and develops folksy music (his work immediately before this took as its theme a Chilean protest song: "The People United Will Never Be Defeated"). Four Pieces receives less attention than others of Rzewski's output because it doesn't use an actual tune, an unkindness I hoped to address with this recording project.

John Harbison's music is always intellectually put together, but never cold: he captures emotional depth in balance with modernist sounds that showcases true musical mastery. His Second Piano Sonata, written for legendary keyboardist Robert Levin, is in four movements and shows attention to shades of light and shadow in its opening movement, lyrical sensitivity and power in its Aria, contrapuntal detail in a muscular and insistent Ricercar, and all the above in its final, mysterious Theme and Variation movement.

Thanks for reading this far, and I hope you'll consider contributing!