Fourth-year PhD student Samantha Fan, AM’12 (who was profiled in the most recent issue of Dialogo), pulls double duty at the University. When she’s not working on her dissertation on perspective taking in psychology, she’s playing the violin as the University Symphony Orchestra’s concertmaster and with the chamber group Trio Aoide. One of my favorite parts of talking with her was discussing what type of music she listens to for pleasure (like nearly everyone else on the planet, she is not immune to the charms of Adele). I asked her to share with us some of the CDs she keeps on heavy rotation in her car, and which tracks from those albums are her favorites.   [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"753","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"281","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"460"}}]] Leonard Bernstein: Beethoven Symphonies 7 & 8 Tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 8 in particular

My absolute favorite that I put on repeat in my car is the 4th movement, Allegro con brio, Symphony 7. I think this piece reflects the very grandeur and power of a full symphony. The only way I can give this recording justice is to crank up the volume in my car to the very maximum. Everyone has their feel-good music and this is mine.

  [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"754","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"281","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"460"}}]] Cho Liang-Lin’s Bruch (G minor concerto & Scottish Fantasy) recording with the Chicago Symphony Track 1, Bruch Violin concerto in G minor, movement 1, Vorspiel: Allegro moderato

Cho's recording of the Bruch with the Chicago Symphony is one that I look up to greatly. His playing—in particular, his interpretation of the 1st movement—was something I had really hoped to emulate while I was preparing for my concerto concert back in December. As a musician, I always have had visions of how I want a particular music to sound. In my opinion, Cho’s take on this movement is perfection.

  [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"755","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"281","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"460"}}]] Janine Jansen’s Bruch and Mendelssohn concerto recording with the Gewandhausorchester & Riccardo Chailly (conductor) Track 6, Bruch violin concerto in G minor, movement 2, Adagio

I came across Janine Jansen's playing through my sister, Emily. She had a habit of searching out classical artists on YouTube and she really liked the way Jansen performed. To continue on the vein of my own research of Bruch while prepping for my own performance, like how I felt about Cho's interpretation of the 1st movement, Jansen's interpretation of the 2nd is the epitome of elegance. Her playing was exactly the way I wanted this movement to sound like if I were sitting in the audience. Both Cho and her track have been on my own personal laptop playlist as consecutive tracks since last October.

  [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"756","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"281","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"460"}}]] Arthur Rubinstein, Brahms piano concerto No. 2, from the Rubinstein Collection, vol. 38, RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra & Joseph Krips (conductor) Track 2, Brahms piano concerto No. 2, B-flat major, Op. 83, movement 2

This recording is one of my sister’s prized possessions. It’s therefore unsurprising that I was again, introduced to this recording via her. Apart from the fact that Rubinstein was a genius of his time, his interpretation of the Brahms 2 has always earned my utmost respect and admiration. My favorite recording is the 2nd movement of the concerto. I strongly believe that what matters as a performer is how you make people feel through your music.

  [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"757","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"281","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"460"}}]] Assorted K drama OSTs (Kim Tae Woo)* 기억과 추억 (Featuring 준형 & 호영) Translation: Memory and Remembrance (Kim Tae Woo feat. Park Joon Hyung, Joon Hyung, Son Ho Young & Danny Ahn)

Sometimes I see this as my alter ego. My close friends and family, though accepting, never quite understood why I listened to K-pop when I don’t even speak or necessarily understand the language. To be honest, neither do I. This particular track speaks of nostalgia, a soundtrack that speaks of all memories, the good and bad. I was first drawn to this song via its music video. Although I did not understand the lyrics at first go, the message I got from Kim and his friends was that comprehension was not really the point, what matters is you have fun doing what you’re doing. And I think ultimately, that's what we all hope to achieve in our lives.

*Before I get into trouble with the authorities, rest assure that this CD was made entirely for personal use.