Megan Alice Clune - Furtive Glances (2023)

Furtive Glances is comprised of voice memo recordings of piano improvisations made between things: while waiting for students or as a warm-up to writing other music. Thinking through an idea, mostly; developing the harmony and melody, and watching the music unfold in my hands in front of me.

These improvisations were never intended to be listened to by anyone other than myself. As such, they captured something honest and intimate. Maybe something a little raw. The music moves slowly because that’s all my fingers would allow. I don’t consider myself a pianist, the objective was just to play.

I uncovered the recordings after going through the files on my old, on-it’s-last-legs computer. Re-naming and re-organising the files meant these little documents made over the last 10 years sat together in a folder – I realised there were a lot of them.

Compiled and lightly edited, adding an additional voice here and there, these contemplative pieces became a way of making peace with the past, of realising that no time is ever wasted. A conspiratorial look before leaping forward.