“Moonlight Sonata” last weekend on the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11

Like many others in the DC area last weekend, I headed to the National Mall to watch the magnificent Apollo 11 projection show on the Washington Monument, depicting the first moon landing and accompanied by NASA video footage and orchestral music.

On the way home that night, it occurred to me the following morning I was scheduled to play piano for church, and perhaps there was an appropriate piece to play for the postlude in tribute to the lunar landing.

Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata came to mind. Despite all my years of playing piano, I had never learned it. Granted, I’ve been a jazz piano player for the past decade, but this was such a classic piece I figured it would lend itself to a little interpretation. (Plus, didn’t Alicia keys add some drums to it a few years back?)

That night I stayed up way too late learning the first two pages of Moonlight Sonata, and writing in the chords above each measure.

The next morning, I played it at the end of the church service. Here’s the recording, I hope you enjoy!