Winfield-based piano player Peter Natwick is gearing up to bring 'Road to Ragtime' to the Beatty House on May 9.
Presented by the Beatty Heritage House Society, the concert starts at 7:30 p.m. with doors opening at 7 p.m.
Admission is by donation. There is limited seating available, so those interested in attending are asked to call Teri Ormberg at 403-843-6497 or email bhhsociety@gmail.com to reserve a seat.
For Natwick, an introduction to music was sparked early on.
"I spent most of my childhood years on the piano bench," Natwick said during a recent chat. "A piano and a fiddle were brought into our home from my dad's folks' farm, so he scratched out some tunes and he taught me to chord."
Young Natwick proved to be quite the natural at al of this, so his mom started teaching him as well.
"With any thing like this, there is usually a mentor involved. Mine was world-class - William T. Appling was the pianist, and I was the 'piano player' - that's how I looked at it," he added with a chuckle.
"He also taught at an academy south of town, which was kind of one of those eastern prep schools," Natwick recalled of his early days in the Cleveland area.
"He called up a year and a half later, and said, what? (Peter's) not taking lessons?"
A scholarship and an application showed up in the mailbox about a week later. As for his passion for music in general, and the piano in particular, Natwick said that it's largely rooted in how much was invested into him during his formative years.
"My teacher also taught me how to turn adversity into fuel," he said, adding when he weathered tough times, music was always there, and also proved to be somewhat therapeutic.
Meanwhile, he didn't stick with the fiddle too long, but later did pick up a guitar. But at the end of the day, the piano is simply his true passion.
"I've had a lot of fun playing the guitar, but the piano is a discipline," he said.
As to performing, Natwick noted artists can only get to a certain level they simply are reading the music, because they've got this 'typing' thing going on. Memorizing it opens the door to being able to pour more emotion into it, making for a more compelling mix.
"One of the most interesting things I have also found out about music is its attachment to psychology. You've almost got to step into the emotions in order to play a (given) piece," he said.
Of course, this skill comes richly into play with his love for ragtime music.
According to Wikipedia, ragtime music originated within African American communities in the late 19th century and became a distinctly American form of popular music.
"Ragtime pieces usually contain several distinct themes, often arranged in patterns of repeats and reprises. Scott Joplin, known as the 'King of Ragtime', gained fame through compositions like Maple Leaf Rag and The Entertainer.
"Ragtime (also) influenced early jazz, Harlem stride piano, Piedmont blues, and early 20th century European classical composers such as Erik Satie, Claude Debussy, and Igor Stravinsky. Despite being overshadowed by jazz in the 1920s, ragtime has experienced several revivals, notably in the 1950s and 1970s (the latter renaissance due in large part to the use of The Entertainer in the film The Sting)."
Natwick describes is at the first classical music form that was not European.
"It was played in three different ways - in the parlours, in open society where folks would get together around a piano with a small band, and they would dance. And later on, it became like pianists competing against each other," he explained.
"Ragtime is also 'social' music. It's not 'sit down and shut up' music! It has broken a lot of barriers," he added of its ultimate impact over the decades as well.
Meanwhile, he's excited about the upcoming performance, and for the opportunity to share his love for ragtime. It's something that just never grows old, with its classic and energetic appeal.
"One of the things my teacher once told me is that you can't sit around and be shy with what you have (developed) in yourself. So I enjoy sharing it."
