MAESTOSO INTERNATIONAL
MUSIC FESTIVAL / 3rd Evening
Zarith Sophia Opera House, Johor Bahru
Sunday (23 July 2023)
The Maestoso International Music Festival was a three-day event jointly co-organised by parties from Malaysia and Vietnam, culminating in three evenings of concerts by young musicians from around the region and held at Johor Bahru’s new Zarith Sophia Opera House. Its resident ensemble was the Maestoso Chamber Orchestra led by young Vietnamese conductor Nguyen Phu Son, comprising string students and four wind players from ASEAN nations including Vietnam (mostly), Malaysia, Thailand and Myanmar.
The festival's final evening opened with Vivaldi’s Concerto for Strings in G minor (RV.157) in three short movements. Despite the hall’s slightly dry acoustics, the string ensemble gave a good account of itself, cohesive for most part and keeping the textures light but not astringent. That served as an apt prelude to the main course, two early Mozart piano concertos - both in C major - performed by pupils of renowned Armenian pianist Armen Babakhanian, prizewinner at the Leeds and Van Cliburn International Piano Competitions, who is presently based in Kuala Lumpur.
Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.8 in C major (K.246), also called the Lutzow Concerto, is not often heard except in complete concerto collections on disc. It received a refreshing airing with the opening movement performed by young Christabel Liew, who sparkled in a bright yellow gown. Although the orchestral accompaniment was scrappy-sounding in parts, it still supported the soloist adequately by not overwhelming her. For her part, she was fluent, with grace and clarity being strong points, and also the short cadenza well covered.
There was the usual inappropriate applause between movements but in this case it was justified, as Christabel had completed her task and received the rightful plaudits. The slow movement and finale were undertaken by Berry Wong (no spelling error, and surely named after the late Austrian baritone Walter Berry), a more mature performer. Despite his burly stature and hulking demeanour, he displayed both nimbleness and agility in his touch. The contrasts were well brought out, a singing tone in the Andante followed by the dance-like (Tempo di Menuetto) moves to close the concerto on a high.
Surely the highlight of the concert was the second half, a performance of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.13 in C major (K.415) by Toby Tan. Here is one of the stars of tomorrow, having recently awarded First Prize (Junior category) at the Aarhus International Piano Competition in Denmark. He clearly has a feeling for Mozart’s idiom, his silky and “flowing like oil” smoothness and rococo sensibilities. Nowhere does the music feel forced in his hands, and even the supposedly virtuoso cadenza is made to feel like part of the overall musical fabric.
Time stood still in the Andante, where cantabile qualities truly stood out. Toby’s shaping of phrases is admirable and if there were moments where tears may be shed, this was it. Even the orchestra, held in abeyance by such musicality, seemed to adjust their playing accordingly. The concluding Rondeau had a playful and buoyant charm, punctuated by interludes of graceful slow dance music. Its episodic nature saw some premature clapping but it was that initial theme which returned time and again (hence the concept of round dance or rondo), sounding better with each repeat before the final romp.
After receiving the loudest and longest applause on the evening, Toby’s riproaring encore of Scarlatti’s Sonata in D major (K.29), capturing its feathery light harpsichord textures with astonishing aplomb, capped off a fine evening of music. Although all the performers on stage (including the orchestra) were young and inexperienced, their passion and willingness to serve the music was clearly palpable. This experience will stand their future musical careers in good stead for years to come.
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| The obligatory end-of-Festival corporate photoshoot |
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| They say it takes a village to raise a pianist. Toby Tan with his teachers: Rena Phua, Armen Babakhanian and Albert Tiu. Missing Poom Prommachart, Rosemery Halim and Winnie Tay today. |
