Musician-In-Residence
Maki Sekiya was musician-in-residence for a number of years.
Green Templeton College appointed world-class virtuoso Maki Sekiya as its first musician-in-residence in 2017. She is a sought after soloist of international calibre, and frequently performs solo recitals and makes concerto appearances.
Maki is also interested in the holistic (therapeutic) role of music. As a music educator, she has formed a local music community Oxford Music Hub to connect like minded musicians across different generations. She is a graduate of Moscow Conservatoire and lives in Oxford with her musical family.
Maki performed numerous recitals at Green Templeton during her appointment, including a truly memorable concert with St. Anne’s Camerata chamber orchestra in the iconic Radcliffe Observatory in 2019.
Conducted by Dr John Traill, the programme saw Maki performing solo works by Beethoven (his Opus 109 Sonata) and Liszt’s Campanella, followed by Mozart’s piano concerto no.14.
In summer 2020, Maki gave a special performance from the Radcliffe Observatory, recorded without a live audience due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
To celebrate the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, Maki played his Sonata No.16 in G, Op.31 No.1. That was followed by Chopin’s 24 Preludes. You can watch her piano recital via YouTube on this page.
For more piano videos, please visit Maki’ s personal YouTube channel.
Recitals for the Human Welfare Conference 2021
Maki recorded a series of piano recitals that were shown during the Human Welfare Conference 2021, as part of a lunchtime recital and conversation with Emeritus Fellow Sir Muir Gray about ageing, music and wellbeing.
Chopin, Etude Op.25 N.1
Maki says: ‘A harp – instrument of angels – has been the symbol of music from ancient times, representing a bridge from earth to heaven. Aeolian harp, otherwise called a ‘wind harp’, is associated with the lyre of King David in the Old Testament, which is said to be played by the wind sent from God.
‘The choice of this piece is inspired by the harp, and also by the name of the place where this performance is being recorded, The Tower of the Winds, which houses the common room of Green Templeton College.
‘It is this Etude by Chopin which was nicknamed “Aeolian harp’. This Etude does not only dazzle, but elevates the listener’s mind higher to the place where wind was born.’
Bach, Concerto in F minor, 2nd movement, BWV 1056
Maki says: ‘The second movement of the klavier concerto N5 in F minor, renowned for its other worldly calmness and beauty. The main theme is taken from an oboe solo of Cantata BWV 156 Ich steh mit einem Fuß im Grabe.
‘This cantata was composed for the Third Sunday after Epiphany, where the prescribed Gospel reading was about Jesus’s miracle, “the healing of a leper”. Matthew (8:1-13).’
Mozart, Piano Sonata in C major, 1st movement, K545
Maki says: ‘It is suggested from various scientific research that classical music can have numerous health benefits. The original study in 1993, which later became famous as the Mozart Effect, featured the Sonata for two pianos KV 448, which is said to have temporarily increased spatial reasoning (cognitive effect).
‘There was further research conducted in 2001 that suggested listening to the piano Sonata KV545 alongside KV448 could similarly reduce Epileptiform discharges in some children with epilepsy.’
Schubert, Wanderer Fantasy 2nd movement D.760
Maki says: ‘Schubert’s music is often said to be one of the more popular choices of music for patients recovering after stroke or people living in care homes. My personal choice of composer when I look for a moment of haven in music will be Schubert.
‘Wanderer Fantasy is based on Schubert’s song about the lonely wanderer, who is on a journey, longing for a “beloved land”, like a soul searching for an eternal home.
‘In this second movement, the opening theme calls “where?”, a motif taken from the song, which seems to find an answer at the end of the movement.’
Congratulations to all of our new students who matriculated this weekend!
Welcome to Green Templeton 🐍🐚
Happy Friday!
We are ready and excited for a busy Michaelmas Term ahead.
Get ready for a discussion on leadership, diplomacy, philanthropy and Olympic sport. Plus a live fencing demonstration.🤺
On 28 October, we are bringing together four extraordinary women from the United States, United Kingdom and Pan-American sporting communities for the event: Bridging Nations, Leading Change.
The conversation will explore how sport can create change across borders, from women’s leadership and philanthropy to sports diplomacy and the Olympic movement.
With a welcome from Chief Executive of @TeamGB Jon Dutton OBE , alumna Selina Kaing (MBA, 2006) will moderate the panel`s discussion featuring:
🌎 Ana Irene Delgado, Permanent Representative of Panama to the Organization of American States
🏅 Sally Munday, Chief Executive of @UKSport
🤺 Georgina Usher MBE, Chief Executive of @BritishFencing
To register, go to the link in the comments
#GreenTempletonCollege #Oxford #WomenInLeadership #SportDiplomacy #Fencing #OlympicMovement #WomenInSport #OxfordEvents
Although we can not guarantee his attendance, Vincent encourages all new students to attend the college life fairs, taking place today from 14:00 to 15:30 in the marquee and Thursday 8 October from 10:30 to 12:00!
Meet college staff and representatives from student clubs!
The college is delighted to welcome a new Oxford PharmaGenesis DPhil Scholarship in Translational Health.
The scholarship has been established through an endowment gift of £1,660,000 from Oxford PharmaGenesis, now part of the Klick family, creating a permanent fund to support doctoral students undertaking outstanding postgraduate research in the field of translational health at Nuffield Department of Primary Care @oxford_uni
