Harpsichordist, fortepianist and modern pianist Melody Lin enjoys an active musical career in Asia, the United States, and Europe. Lin holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Historical PerformancePractices and Keyboard Studies from Claremont Graduate University, where she studied harpsichord with Prof. Robert Zappulla and modern piano and fortepiano with Prof. Jenny Soonjin Kim. Lin has had the pleasure to work with many renowned artists, and has participated both domestically and internationally in music festivals. Lin is currently a member of the Music Teachers Association of California. In November 1973, the music press was ablaze with announcements about the ‘first new major British classical record label to hit the market for many years’ and the ‘hush-hush recording sessions’ that had been in progress to mark its launch. These sessions included bringing harpsichordist Trevor Pinnock to listeners worldwide with his debut album Trevor Pinnock at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Released to critical acclaim, this album cementedthe direction of the eagerly awaited new label, CRD Records: to champion new artists and to celebrate the full gamut of listening experiences offered through classical repertoire. Fifty years on musical tastes have expanded and the harpsichord often gets overlooked, undeservedly so. The harpsichord is an instrument that takes no prisoners; it demands precision and craft, musical sensitivity and more. In Melody Lin’s performances, the rewards are great: as listeners, we are treated to the translation of black dots to bursts of exuberant colour, from elegance to joy to thunderous expressions of foreboding. If the music were to be represented in film, we would move from calm, pastoral scenes to mountainous terrain. This is in fact riveting cinema. We hope you enjoy the views.
