Siyuan's Turn

Tonight was the second concert of the series featuring my friends Cole Anderson and Siyuan Li, both fantastic pianists. It was Siyuan's turn to shine tonight. I picked up my friend Shelly and we got to the concert venue in plenty of time. We sat in the front row and got a great view. Siyuan was charming as she announced the pieces she was playing. She chose a mostly romantic program and her playing was lyrical, exciting and flawless. Both she and Cole are such fine pianists. I loved Siyuan's touch and sweetness of tone. I don't usually see things as "woman" "man" when I'm exploring the arts, but in this case I did feel that there was a difference in style between the two that fit those categories. I mean this in a positive way. To me they each brought something unique and special to their playing because of who they are, including that one is a man and one is a woman. The last piece on the program was a piece by Cole's brother Devin and it was wonderful. It was a composition for four hands so both Cole and Siyuan played.

The program was as follows:

Schubert's Drei Klavierstucke, D. 946
Kreisieriana, op 16 by Robert Schumann
Chopin's Barcarolle if F-sharp Major, op60
Four-Handed Phantasmagoria by Devin Anderson

After the concert was over Shelly and I stayed to talk to Deborah and Mike, my good friends and parents of Cole and Devin, and to Cole, Devin and Siyuan. I really am so lucky to know this amazing family. And I am so glad I invited Shelly along. He loved the concert and was as charmed as I was by the music and the wonderful musicians.