Students deliver impressive Chopin performances
M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The ability of Frederic Chopin to compose and perform music in his early childhood must have inspired the Jakarta Music Conservatory when it decided to stage a piano recital of the Polish composer's works, featuring students who were mostly in their early teens.
Twelve students from the conservatory confidently took the stage recently, showcasing their elaborately honed musical dexterity to the amazement of members of their family and the audience, which packed the auditorium of the Erasmus Huis in Kuningan, South Jakarta.
Possibly the greatest of all composers for the piano, Chopin started to produce music even before he knew how to write down his ideas; he also performed in public at the age of eight.
The Romantic composer is known not only for his highly imaginative works but also for the complexity of the piano- playing technique that he developed.
Students and some of the teachers from the conservatory came close to emulating the two attributes that rightfully belong to Chopin.
The first glimmer of talent was displayed by eight-year-old Victoria Audrey Sarasvathi, who took the stage to deliver a joyous rendition of Mazurka in F Major, followed by Polonaise in G Minor.
The latter, a stately Polish dance in moderate triple time, was composed by Chopin in 1817, when he was just seven years old.
After a brief pause, another warlike polonaise followed, this time performed by 12-year-old Mahardika Lutfi Putra Adijayanto.
The Polonaise in A Major, also known as the "Military Polonaise", turned into a energetic summons to march in Mahardika's fingers.
The high energy of the evening prevailed until Ilda Ratna, a conservatory teacher, performed a lyrical rendition of Ballade in G Minor, a Chopin masterpiece.
Right from the first few notes, an overwhelming sense of grief began to take hold.
Even the very first note, pounded out after a long gasp, sent a palpable frisson of expectation through the audience.
Another composition that painted a melancholy picture for the evening was Nocturne in E Major, the 18th and last composition that Chopin wrote.
Monica Pasaribu, another teacher at the conservatory, delivered a heart-rending performance that recounted Chopin's growing restlessness.
Although the mood-setting interpretations were not without technical glitches, the performances showcased the players' skills when they performed Chopin's most complex works.
In Etude in G Flat Major, high school graduate Yoana Hosan displayed her skill in playing a piece composed entirely for the black keys. Known as the "black key etude" it certainly required nimble fingers.
The evening's last hurrah was impressive performances by piano player Inge Melania, backed by the complete ensemble of the National Youth Orchestra, of Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise Brilliante.
Introduced by a piano solo that flowed like a stream of consciousness, the composition ended with a high-spirited orchestral tutti.