Jie Chen Dazzles at Maverick Concert Festival
BUENA PARK, Calif. — Woodstock Times music critic Leslie Gerber minced no words in her recent review of the Maverick Concerts recital of Yamaha artist Jie Chen, leading with: "If I had somehow managed to hear Jie Chen's Maverick Concerts recital in advance, I would have told you not to miss it."
Established in 1916 near Woodstock, New York, Maverick Concerts is the oldest continuous summer chamber music concert series in the United States.
According to Gerber, Chen's bold program made for a fascinating concert. "It turned out Chen does have what it takes to meet such serious pianistic challenges," the critic declared. "She then went roaring through Schumann's Sonata No. 2, in G Minor, Op. 22, a challenge to any pianist," she gushed, stating that Chen's playing of the opening movement "offered a rare combination of clarity and passion." In short, according to Gerber, "she played the hell out of it!"
The critic also cited Chen's performance of a suite of pieces called "Toccatas" by composer Harold Meltzer – who was present at the concert. The pieces proved to be "interesting music," characterized by the critic as "baroque sort of turned sideways with bits of atonal Gershwin."
Chen's "colorful and confident" performances of two sections, Evocacion and Triana, from Albeniz's "murderously difficult" Iberia, also made an impression. In conclusion, Gerber raved, "I still wasn't confident that she would be able to go dashing through Balakirev's notorious Islamey, one of the most difficult piano showpieces in existence and a piece which has brought well-known pianists to grief. But she was. She conquered it, and it was dazzling."
For more information, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Piano Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622, telephone (714) 522-9926, or email infostation@yamaha.com.
About Yamaha:
Yamaha Corporation of America manufactures a complete line of musical instruments, professional audio products, customer-driven support products and computer-based products targeted to both the amateur and professional markets.
 Yamaha Artist Jie Chen |
According to Gerber, Chen's bold program made for a fascinating concert. "It turned out Chen does have what it takes to meet such serious pianistic challenges," the critic declared. "She then went roaring through Schumann's Sonata No. 2, in G Minor, Op. 22, a challenge to any pianist," she gushed, stating that Chen's playing of the opening movement "offered a rare combination of clarity and passion." In short, according to Gerber, "she played the hell out of it!"
The critic also cited Chen's performance of a suite of pieces called "Toccatas" by composer Harold Meltzer – who was present at the concert. The pieces proved to be "interesting music," characterized by the critic as "baroque sort of turned sideways with bits of atonal Gershwin."
Chen's "colorful and confident" performances of two sections, Evocacion and Triana, from Albeniz's "murderously difficult" Iberia, also made an impression. In conclusion, Gerber raved, "I still wasn't confident that she would be able to go dashing through Balakirev's notorious Islamey, one of the most difficult piano showpieces in existence and a piece which has brought well-known pianists to grief. But she was. She conquered it, and it was dazzling."
For more information, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Piano Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622, telephone (714) 522-9926, or email infostation@yamaha.com.
About Yamaha:
Yamaha Corporation of America manufactures a complete line of musical instruments, professional audio products, customer-driven support products and computer-based products targeted to both the amateur and professional markets.
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