<p>PAN Linzi, female, 15</p><p>Chopin: Nocturne in C Minor, Op. 48, No. 1</p><p>I was a bit disappointed with the opening section.  For my taste, it was too emotionally charged.  I prefer a more “distant” approach which gradually prepares the listener for the storm that is awaiting at the end.  I also feel that the octave middle section was a bit too brilliant, more appropriate for a Hungarian rhapsody by Liszt than for anything that Chopin ever wrote.  </p><p>Chopin: Etude in F Major, Op. 10, No. 8</p><p>Congratulations!  This was one of the most beautiful performances I have ever heard of this etude.  You have a special ear for nuance and variety of color and you have learned to use the right technical resources to achieve it.   Your playing reminded me of the “old fashioned” style of the great pianists of the past.  Your dry moments without pedal in the high register were particularly effective and showed a great degree of sophistication.  </p><p>Liszt: Ballade No. 2 in B Minor</p><p>When I noticed this piece in your listed repertoire, I wondered as to why you had chosen such a repetitive work which usually loses the attention of the audiences in public performance.  You proved me wrong!  You made this work sound more important than it actually is.  It gave you the opportunity to caress the keys and to use the floating technique that produced some of the most beautiful sounds a piano is capable of.  </p><p>In sum: there is artistry everywhere in your playing.  I must commend your teacher for having been able to produce such wonderful results and, at the same time, allow you to give the impression that everything is coming from you.</p>