The large and enthusiastic audience warmly greeted
Dr. Ana Maria Trenchi Bottazzi, the Founder and President of the competition, as
she welcomed the audience. There
were two co-winners in each of Category A, B and C.
Before I begin this review, I would like to state how
difficult it is to critically review young musicians who have invested so much
of their youth and energy for their prospective careers.
They and their parents and teachers deserve only the highest praise for
their many sacrifices. When winning in an international competition and being
showcased as such in New York City it would seem only logical to present
repertoire that is not at the outermost limits of one’s ability but to present
works that are well seasoned and very well within the reach of one’s current
gifts. This review will be my
attempt to attune a critical ear and pen to what I heard this evening.
Category A
MARIE FENG, twelve years old from the USA is a
current student of Julia Amada Kruger in Austin, Texas.
Although a well-planned and studied performance was given of the
Nocturne, Op. 27, No. 2 of Chopin, it seemed to lack a rhythmic fluidity and
sense of magic that a more imaginative approach might have produced.
The Bach Fantasia, BWV 906 had precision and dynamic contrasts while the
Chopin Scherzo in b flat minor did not seem ready for performance in terms of
tempo, articulate clarity and pedaling.
CHLOE CHRISTIAN PANG, also twelve years old and
from the USA is a current student of James Arthur Gardner in California.
Happily this young and gifted pianist performed repertoire well within
her grasp. Her Mozart Sonata, K.
576 brimmed with precise articulation, technical ease and abundant dynamic
contrasts - all well within the style of the period.
Her Mouvements from the Debussy Images was well studied and technically
precise.
Category B
YI-JU
Lai, sixteen years old from Taiwan is a current student of Yoshikazu Nagai at
the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan.
While this pianist has a lovely sound, her Bach Prelude and Fugue, BWV
872, although musical, was surprisingly romantic.
The uneven synchronization of the hands (left hand leading) was quite
disconcerting in the Chopin Nocturne, Op. 15, No. 9.
The Chopin Etude of Op. 10 No. 9 was well studied and controlled.
The first movement of the Beethoven Sonata Op. 31, No. 2 was oddly two
dimensional, lacking the orchestral quality usually associated with
Beethoven’s piano works. The
improvisational qualities that make this sonata so unique seemed over planned
and studied.
JOSEPH
WRIGHT, sixteen years old from the USA is a current student of Dr. Susan
Duehlmeier at the University of Utah.
This immensely gifted young pianist has the courage of a lion to program
nine Chopin Etudes with a tenth as an encore.
In Op. 10 I found No. 4, 5 (particularly) and No. 7 to be
brilliant…hands down. The lyric
quality of No. 1 and technical ease was a delight while I found the popular No.
12 to show the strain of the previous etudes and a surprising lack of flair.
In OP. 25 I found No. 5 and 11 (a bit under tempo) to be quite effective
and No. 12 to be stunning. The
effortless Op. 25, No. 2 was given as an encore.
His musicality might have been shown to better advantage with a broader
choice of repertoire.
Category C
STEPHEN
KOPP, eighteen years old and from the USA is a current student of Blanca Uribe
at Vassar College
This pianist opened with a rather matter of fact and dry performance of
the Prelude and Fugue in c minor, WTC-I by J. S. Bach.
Following this was a well-prepared and exciting Jeux d’eau of Ravel
that showcased his effortless technique. The
Winter Wind Etude of Chopin was stunning with its thrilling speed and ease of
performance. The Chopin Scherzo in
b flat minor was totally professional, musically and technically - once again
highlighting his seeming ease of execution.
KIRILL
BERSUKER, eighteen years old Russian is a current student of Julia Amada Kruger
in Austin, Texas.
The magic melancholy of the Prelude from Op. 32 of Rachmaninoff may have
suffered from the lack of a concert grand and the acoustics in the hall but the
climaxes were so forte and tempestuous that the musical ideas were swallowed up.
This is a young pianist who has fire and urgency in his playing but he
was not well represented by a Schumann Toccata that was so fast that musical
ideas and a great deal of accuracy fell very much by the wayside.
In a city full of pianists that can play anything at any speed with
absolute accuracy, and probably upside down, that route is a dangerous one to
take. Although I am not acquainted
with the Shschedrin Basso Ostinato, its percussive and explosive nature seemed
to fit more accurately this pianist’s style.