Young Professionals Concert Recap

Fellows/Young Professionals concert

Amalfi - Museo Diocesano

July 21, 2014

If you’ve huffed all the way up the one hundred million stairs of Amalfi’s Museo Diocesano on Monday evening, you might not be in the mood for the scampering antics of Young Juliet. But too bad. You’re going to have to hear it, because Jeannette Fang starts the Young Professionals concert with selections from Prokofiev’s op.75 Romeo and Juliet. Perhaps the booming octaves of the Montagues and Capulets are more fitting. Or the lullaby of Romeo bids Juliet Goodbye. It’s a bit of a downer to end with the suspended vacancy of B-flat minor, but that’s alright, because we perk right back up with Grace Kim’s Wieniawski Fantasia on Gounod’s Faust. She played with flair and passion, maneuvering dazzling antics with ease and assurance. What was particularly satisfying were her melodies in the lower ranges. Her sound was rich and fleshed out the hall. Ellen Hwangbo’s accompaniment was wonderfully attentive, blending perfectly with the violin sound.

Ellen continued the evening with the second and third movements of Bartok’s Dance Suite, whose lively rhythms she embodied completely. She is a pleasure to listen to, as she immerses herself in the music, never losing the visceral nature of the pulse. Her release of the octave gestures was full of spark and life, always containing impluse and movement.

Brian Hsu ended the program with a monumentally conceived b minor Liszt Ballade. He had a clear architecture, rising from the depths with reverent suspended chords. Brian is a consummate Liszt player, able to convey a huge scope, from the focused stillness of the beginning to massive brilliance at the end. Brian had thrilling virtuosity, bringing the Young Professionals Concert to a dazzling close.

#2014 #concertreview