Renowned Taiwanese pianist Yen Chun-chieh captivated a full house at Victoria Concert Hall on 9th March 2024 with his remarkable performance, marking a memorable debut in Singapore.

 

Despite minor imperfections, Yen showcased his exceptional technique, particularly evident in his captivating rendition of Volodos-Mozart’s Turkish March during his encore. His performance on the exquisite Bechstein piano further accentuated his charismatic and expressive playing.

 

As an interpreter, Yen’s emotive approach was evident, though at times it may have overshadowed subtleties of some pieces in his repertoire. His rendition of Chopin’s works leaned towards a slightly more dramatic style, with the Barcarolle evoking a sense of theatricality rather than the serene beauty of Venice (as may have been originally intended), but, one may argue that this actually helps to evoke more of the vibrancy and colourful characteristics of the city, with its vibrant architecture, picturesque canals, and lively atmosphere.

 

Yen truly excelled in Ravel’s aquatic-themed compositions, displaying a mastery of the intricate piano writing and bringing out the brilliance of the vivid cascade of arpeggios in Jeux d’Eau and the ethereal atmosphere of Ondine.

 

While his performance of Carnaval was lively and enjoyable, there were occasional lapses in execution, but despite these minor setbacks, Yen’s performance was met with enthusiastic applause. The audience was treated to a whopping four encores: including a very lovely Franz Liszt’s Liebestraum No.3, a beautifully rendered November from Tchaikovsky’s The Seasons, Trenet-Weissenberg’s En Avril à Paris, and lastly a very animated and virtuosic Volodos’ Concert Paraphrase on Mozart’s “Turkish March”.

Overall, Yen Chun-chieh’s performance left a lasting impression, and we certainly look forward to seeing him again in Singapore for another captivating recital in the future.

 

This concert was presented by Bechstein Music World. Be sure to follow them on their Facebook and Instagram Pages for the latest updates on more concerts for 2024.