<p>Liu Tianyuan<br />Liszt: Concert Etude “Waldesrauschen”<br />You are a very talented pianist who has vision for a large picture. You obviously reason carefully and present your ideas with some good results. This étude was written by the mature Liszt, not the young virtuoso who wanted to become the Paganini of piano. The twist and turns of the melody is by a very seasoned composer and I very much enjoyed your interpretation and understanding of the melody line. However, although Liszt called this “tone poem” an étude and we have discover the reasons for this. The evenness of the right hand which is then passed down to the left hand demands a subtle approach that allows freedom of the melody while creating the illusion that the accompaniment is constant. Too many times your accompaniment drew my attention away from the melody because of its uneven treatment. Unfortunately you did not control the octaves and leaps leading to the last cadenza and in fact the long trill and the descending following passage were very unsatisfying. Further, make a conscious effort to differentiate between the level of “fortes” and pianos”, this is important if you want to communicate the subtle colors of this piece that is about nature.</p><p>Mozart: Sonata in B-flat major, KV 281 (Allegro - First Movement)<br />I very much like your natural approach to Mozart, who is one of the most difficult composers to perform. What becomes immediately apparent is that you seem to understand the importance of silence – what happens before and after. This takes quite a great deal of maturity. You balance between the melodic line and accompaniment is also excellent. It is not simply just loud or soft as Mozart wanted us to hear the wonderful harmonic changes given to the accompaniment. Where you could do more is the clarity of the articulation as this together with the dynamic changes constitutes the most important way we manage different colors and maintain interest throughout the work. You performed the modulations in the development section with understanding and I like how you prepared the recapitulation. One last point, be utmost careful how you pedal, while I endorse lots of small color pedal, you should not pedal ornaments.</p><p>Schedrin: Two Polyphonic pieces<br />You perform these pieces with authority and great conviction. You bring out wonderful colors, a wide variety of dynamic levels and you make it all sound natural.<br />1. The phrasing is excellent and the constancy of the pulse makes us listen intensely. The staccatos should be consistent and both hands must be the same length. While I realize that your aim is to present two different voices the nature of their melodies allows them to be equally important.  You should experiment as the result could be quite satisfying. <br />2. The ostinato must be phrased constantly and bring out its contour. I very much like the way you create an atmosphere of improvisation. Together with the clear insisting pulse you manage to produce tension and complete surprises. </p><p>Liu Tianyuan, I enjoyed your performance very much and wish you all the very best for your future.</p>