Bechstein Music World, 13 December 2025 Presented by Bechstein Music World and organised by True Music Singapore, Cherry Ge’s lecture-recital Empathy in a Fractured World offered an afternoon of music and reflection at the Bechstein Music World Event Hall. Combining performance with spoken commentary, the programme examined how music emerges from lived experience, and how it continues to speak meaningfully in a time shaped by uncertainty and unrest. In an interview prior to her lecture-recital, Cherry spoke candidly about the contemporary reality many listeners recognise all too well: constant exposure to global headlines, war and displacement, environmental anxiety, and the quiet paralysis that comes with witnessing so much suffering from afar. Rather than proposing answers, she positioned music as a space for reflection and human connection, a way of responding thoughtfully within the means of her own artistic practice. The works she selected were framed not as abstract masterpieces, but as expressions born from human struggle, resilience, and emotional truth. The recital featured works by Hamelin, Janáček, and Schumann, with Cherry guiding listeners through the historical and emotional contexts behind each piece. Her commentary was measured and purposeful, enhancing understanding without overwhelming the music itself. The focus remained on how composers transform personal and collective experience into sound, allowing listeners to encounter familiar works through a more human lens. At the piano, Cherry’s playing reflected this same clarity of intent. There was no emphasis on theatrical gesture or outward display; instead, her performance prioritised structure, tonal balance, and sincerity of expression. The intimate setting, paired with the warm and responsive sound of the C. Bechstein D282 concert grand piano, allowed subtle colours and inner voices to emerge naturally, reinforcing the reflective spirit of the programme.
The evening concluded with an encore, Chopin’s Mazurka in A minor, Op. 17 No. 4, which, rather than feeling tacked onto the programme, contributed a quiet summation. Introspective and restrained, the piece echoed the central idea of the lecture-recital: that music, shaped by human experience, offers a way to process complexity without spectacle or excess. In a year that has seen Singapore host an impressive roster of international pianists, Empathy in a Fractured World was also a reminder of the depth and seriousness that local artists bring to the concert stage. Cherry Ge’s lecture-recital affirmed that Singapore-based musicians are not merely participants in the global classical music landscape, but thoughtful contributors, engaging with the world as it is and responding through the language of their art. Updates on the upcoming European Sound Piano Concert Lineup for 2026 will be released soon. Follow True Music Singapore and Bechstein Music World on Facebook and Instagram for updates!