Sherilyn Chen Piano at Ten 2 November
The full programme:
1) Johann Sebastian Bach - Prelude and Fugue in F major (Book 2)
2) Ludwig Van Beethoven - Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major, Op. 53. ('Waldstein')
3) Frédéric Chopin - Ballade No. 4
4) Carl Vine - 'Short Story' and 'Tarentella' from Anne Landa Preludes
Biography:
At the young age of four, Sherilyn’s mother began to teach her piano for fun and interest, not knowing that it would soon grow to become one of her greatest passions. Born in Sydney, Sherilyn began her piano studies under the guidance of Natalia Sheludiakova at the age of six. She was also taught to play violin as a young child. In her early years as a young pianist, Sherilyn achieved highly and made many public appearances. Some of these include being selected to perform as a soloist at the Sydney Opera House at the age of eight and at ten winning the Winfred Burston Scholarship for Piano at the open academy of Sydney Conservatorium. She was awarded with a full music scholarship to St. Catherine’s Girls School, and achieved various gold and silver medals at prestigious Eisteddfods in Sydney and Warringah. Just last year, she was awarded first prize in the Chopin Piano and 19th Century Music Sections of the Sydney Eisteddfod competition. Sherilyn received her A.MusA Diploma at the age of 13 and her L.MusA at the age of 15. She is currently studying a Bachelor of Piano Performance at the Sydney Conservatorium under Dr. Bernadette Harvey, hoping to further her lifelong learning of music.
Arts Bundanoon – Piano at 10 – Saturday, 2nd November, 2013
Sherilyn Chen - piano
Programme:
Johann Sebastian Bach
Prelude and Fugue in F major (Book 2)
Ludwig Van Beethoven
Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major, Op. 53 ('Waldstein')
Frédéric Chopin
Ballade No. 4
Carl Vine
'Short Story' and 'Tarentella' from Anne Landa Preludes
Encore:
Maurice Ravel
Alborado del gracioso
Today’s recital by this prodigiously gifted young woman was held on a sunny morning before an audience of about 80 people.
Originally the recital was to have been given by Tony Lee, a young pianist who amazed the Piano at 10 audience last year. Unfortunately, due to an injury, Tony could not perform and it is to his great credit that he recommended Sherilyn Chen. Ms Chen substituted at very short notice and delivered a performance of striking virtuosity and a musical maturity normally associated with older and more experienced musicians.
Although, like Mr Lee, Ms Chen is disarmingly self-effacing and modest, at the keyboard she is a focussed performer. The entire performance on this occasion was done from memory.
The Bach Prelude and Fugue in F major was delivered with digital sureness and crystalline clarity. The songful prelude flowed easily and the fugue was convincingly played with excellent separation of the voices. It was a fine performance by any standard with just enough warmth to prevent the work from becoming staid or academic.
Beethoven’s exquisite “Waldstein” sonata was well chosen as the programme’s centrepiece. As a piece of music it offers the performer the opportunity to show virtuosity whilst demanding a sure command of colour and phrasing. The first movement was well paced, moving along with fire and brilliance. Even heard from the back of the hall, Ms Chen’s articulation was clear and precise. The slow movement was suitably reflective whilst building a subtle tension that suggested that the best was yet to come. And it came in a torrent of multicoloured sound. The glorious third movement offered the audience both an easy and an ingratiating melody repeated many times in various forms together with the opportunity to be amazed with virtuosity. Although the work demands a high level of pianistic skill, Ms Chen was more than equal to this, and it was a convincing and satisfying performance by an artist who not only loved the work but understood it and knew how to sing it.
After a few minutes break, Ms Chen returned to the stage to perform the second half of the programme.
The first was Chopin’s Ballade No 4. Ms Chen moved easily from the majesty of the Beethoven sonata to the lyricism of Chopin. With this work she drew from the piano such a different sound that it was hard to believe that it was the same instrument. The Ballade, a long and multisectioned work was played with a well-controlled intensity. This intensity served to build up to exciting virtuosic episodes that contrasted with reflective and beautifully phrased songful sections. What was made very obvious during the extrovert episodes was Ms Chen’s firm control over phrasing and rhythm, never allowing the music to descend into mere flashy and chaotic finger work. It was a beautiful and memorable performance.
The formal part of the programme concluded with two short pieces by the Australian composer, Carl Vine. Both, although light-weight compositions, received the same care and attention to detail that characterised the previous pieces in the programme. The “Short Story” was much more melodic than one normally hears from the pen of Mr Vine and was played in a grand style. The “Tarantella” as a piece of music was interesting and makes no claims to profundity, instead demanding of the pianist, great digital dexterity – something that Ms Chen has in abundance.
For an encore, Ms Chen offered Ravel’s Alborado del gracioso. This is a very substantial and difficult encore piece which rewarded the audience for their enthusiasm. With unerring fingers, Ms Chen convincingly captured the Iberian character of the piece with all its multi coloured moods.
Overall, a well balanced programme played by an artist who leaves us in no doubt that she loves music.
Today’s concert was one of the highlights of this year’s Piano at 10 programme. So far this year we have heard such outstanding young talent as Jonathan Mui, Patrick Keith, James Dong, Lee Cheong, Mia Huang and now Sherilyn Chen, to name just a few. Budding artists they may be but all, like fine wines, will only get better and better while, even at this early stage of their careers, we have been made richer for having heard them.
Greg Slater