Students in Concert
by
Lyn Bronson
Celebrating its tenth year on
the Monterey Peninsula, California Summer Music has been during the past decade
one of our most vital and inspiring summer musical events — vital because in the
concerts heard during the three-week sessions, we hear solo and chamber music on
a very high level, and inspiring because we hear young dedicated musicians,
mostly in their teens, who are playing with a fresh enthusiasm, extraordinary
skill and lots of heart. These students will most likely remain committed
musicians for the rest of their lives and will have an impact in the communities
in which they ultimately reside.
While much of our country
suffers excruciatingly hot weather, the Monterey Peninsula remains temperate and
comfortable, and one of the great pleasures of attending CSM recitals in Keck
Auditorium at the Stevenson School is that the audience can’t help but be aware
of the twilight afterglow and the silhouettes of the pine trees as we enjoy
listening to these young musicians.
Since most of the students come
to CSM, not only to participate in chamber music, but also to enjoy private
lessons with the CSM distinguished faculty, the first few student recitals
feature solo works and concerto movements. On Saturday, July 22, we heard one of
these recitals featuring CSM students.
Jasmine Lau
The program opened with cellist
Jasmine Lau, 15, a pupil of Irene Sharp, and a sophomore at the San
Francisco School of the Arts. Her bio information is impressive, for in the past
few years she has distinguished herself by winning many honors. Performing the
fourth movement of the Elgar concerto with pianist Julie Nishimura, Jasmine
displayed a rich and pleasing sound, and a mature musicianship that belies her
young age. She demonstrated that she is already a master of beautifully
controlled dynamics and lovely phrasing.
Zoe Lu
Next to perform was pianist
Zoe Lu, 14, a pupil of Olya Katsman, and a ninth-grade student at Mission
San Jose High School in Fremont. Again, when we read of her many musical
accomplishments, we are impressed with her professional dedication at such a
young age. The work she had chosen to play on this occasion was the first
movement of Beethoven’s Sonata in C Minor, Op. 13 “Pathétique.” This was a
strong performance full of dash and excitement, yet also showing stylish
attention to detail in the “French Overture,” double dotted sections that recur
throughout the movement. Incidentally, her rapid broken octaves in the bass were
really impressive in their ease and precision.
Sofia Nowik
A surprise to me was the
performance by cellist Sofia Nowik, 17, who studies in New York City with
Irene Sharp, for Ms. Nowik played a work, Requiebros, by a composer I had
never heard of named Cassado. She is yet another fine young musician who has won
many awards and plans to pursue a career in music performance. Ms. Nowik showed
us that she has big robust sound, is a master of the grand gesture yet can scale
back her performance and touch our hearts with warm, tender playing. Beautifully
in tune, even in the higher positions, her playing was dazzling. Pianist Julie
Nishimura provided a sparkling accompaniment.
Geoffrey Sutton
After intermission, we heard
another cellist, Geoffrey Sutton, 16, a pupil of Irene Sharp, and an 11th-grade
student this fall at the Renaissance Arts Academy in Los Angeles. It seems that
cello is not his only love, for he recently made his conducting debut and played
mandolin at a Renaissance Pleasure Fair. With pianist Julie Nishimura, Sutton
played a rather unusual work for us on this occasion, “Le Grand Tango,” by
Piazzola. The way this work is written for the two instruments, it was difficult
to determine which part was supposed to be the solo part, for the piano pretty
much dominated the texture and made it difficult to hear Sutton. But, hear him
we did, and he achieved a variety of sounds from a rich forte to some silky
smooth pianissimos. Sutton, incidentally, is an imposing figure on stage, for he
is so tall that his cello looks like a child’s ¾ size instrument.
Alena Řehàkovà
Closing the program was a
dazzling performance of the first movement of the Lalo violin concerto by
Alena Řehàkovà, 18, from the Czech Republic, where she is studying with Jan
Drha at the Conservatory České Budĕjovice. She performed with mature confidence
and musicality, and her mastery and skill on the violin was awesome. All I can
say is wow! This was very professional and artistic playing. Pianist Lori Lack,
incidentally, played the orchestra reduction, and, as always, her lovely natural
skills at the piano enhance every performance in which she participates.
During the next week we can
expect to hear these young musicians again in complete chamber works. This will
be something to look forward to.
