CSM Students Shine Again

by

Lyn Bronson

California Summer Music seems to have an inexhaustible supply of promising young musicians, for after hearing solo performances last Saturday evening, I was expecting to hear only chamber music works this week. But, lo and behold, on Monday, July 24, Keck Auditorium played host to another group of talented young musicians playing a varied program of interesting solo works.

Kerry Takahashi

The program began with cellist Kerry Takahashi, 13, from North Haven, Connecticut, a pupil of Miriam Eckelhoefer and Irene Sharp, performing the first movement of the Elgar Cello Concerto in E Minor, Op. 85 with pianist Julie Nishimura. Demonstrating a lot of confidence for one so young, Takahashi impressed us with her warm sound and mature conception of this piece.

Lucia Priesterová

Next we heard something of a novelty, the Paganini Capriccio, Op. 1, No. 23, for solo violin. It was played by Lucia Priesterová, 21, born in Slovakia, but now a resident of the Czech Republic where she been studying violin with Bohumil Kotmel at the Brno Conservatory. In October she will enter the Academy of Music in Prague. The Paganini Caprices contain some fiendish difficulties, and Priesterová showed us how these difficulties hold no terror for her.

Tereza Anna Privratska

One of the most interesting pieces on the program was “Love Song” by Josef Suk. This was performed by Tereza Anna Privratska, 19, who has just completed her studies at the Prague Conservatory, where she studied violin with Jindrich Pazdera. In September she will be entering the Royal Academy of Music in London. Ms. Privratska played in a lovely self-assured manner that demonstrated fine musicianship and a comfortable technical mastery. Especially impressive were her tonal contrasts between the more subdued sweet moods and the more passionate outbursts. Pianist Lori Lack provided some solid and musical playing that truly enhanced this lovely piece.

Jessica Lizardo

Next we heard the second movement of the Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Manor, Op. 107, played by Jessica Lizardo, 16, from the San Francisco Bay Area, where she studies cello with Irene Sharp. Lizardo found just the right mixture of pain and anguish for this beautiful slow movement and gave us a very satisfying and moving performance. She impressed us with her beautiful sound, nice harmonics, and lovely control of dynamics. The orchestra reduction was played by Julie Nishimura, who, as usual, was impressive in the way she played this difficult score and made it look easy.

 Tereza Anna Privratska and Lucia Priesterová

Ending the first half of the program was the first movement of Honegger’s Sonatina for two violins unaccompanied. This was performed by two violinists we had heard earlier in the program, Tereza Anna Privratska and Lucia Priesterová. This is an effective piece and was beautifully played with individual skill and terrific ensemble. It made you want to hear the rest of the piece.

Kevin Yu

After intermission we heard three Fantasy Pieces, Op. 73, for Cello & Piano (both parts were equal in importance) by Schumann. Performing with pianist Julie Nishimura was cellist Kevin Yu, 17, who has studied cello for the past eight years with Irene Sharp and will be an entering freshman at UC Berkeley this fall. This was masterful playing from beginning to end and revealed Yu’s musicianly approach and impressive technical mastery.

Eran Sykes,

Certainly the most unusual piece on the program was “A Bird Came Down the Walk” by Takemitsu. This was performed by violist Eran Sykes, 25, a 2003 graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music and now a second year student at the New England Conservatory, where she is studying with Carol Rodland. This Takemitsu piece is enigmatic, but charming and consistently interesting throughout — a work that poses mores questions than it anwers. When it was over, we realized that we hadn’t ever wanted it to end. Pianist Tim Bach was an equal partner here and produced some of the most beautiful sounds we have yet heard from this Yamaha concert grand.

 Evan Shallcross

The evening’s concert ended with a performance of Elgar’s Violin Concerto in B Minor, Op. 61, played by Evan Shallcross, 20, a student at the Oberlin Conservatory, where he studies with Milan Vitek. In this performance we heard sensitive and refined playing full of imagination, with impressive technique and lovely tonal color. Tim Bach once again turned in a first class performance.

 

End