中華表演藝術基金會 Chinese Performing Arts Foundation

~ Program ~

Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849)

Nocturne Op. 27, No. 1 in C# minor
Mazurka Op. 50, No. 3 in C# minor
Waltz Op. 70, No. 3 in D-flat major
Waltz Op. 64, No. 3 in A-flat major
Mazurka Op. 59, No. 3 in F# minor
Waltz Op. 69, No. 2 in B minor
Mazurka Op. 68, No. 4 in F minor
Ballade No. 2 in F Major, Op. 38*
* this Ballade is replaced by
Nocturne in D-flat Major, Op. 27, No. 2
(no program notes provided **)
(40’)

~ intermission ~

Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953)

Piano Sonata No. 8 in B-flat major
Andante dolce—Allegro moderato
Andante sognando
Vivace
(30’)

Program subject to change to comply with COVID mandates and rules of Jordan Hall.

“Liu captivated Saturday’s Jordan Hall audience with her sensitive, passionate performances, from the softest, most intimate whispers to the boldest outcries. Liu had showed an extraordinary dedication and care for the Chopin miniatures; it almost felt as if we were eavesdropping on something extremely private and intimate. It transfixed the audience in rapt attention.
In every moment Kate Liu spent on stage, the music lived through each note and each silence. Her presence, her focus, her honesty compelled the audience to listen into her musical mind. A menagerie of multicolored sound-world arose into the air, allowing inviting us into Kate Liu’s expansive, poignant, empathetic musicality.”
( 從最柔和、最親密的耳語到最大膽的吶喊,劉珒以她敏感、熱情的表演,深深的吸引了周六喬丹廳的觀眾。劉珒對肖邦的小品表現出了非凡的奉獻和關懷,幾乎就像我們在偷聽一些極其親密的事情。讓觀眾全神貫注。她在舞台上的每一時刻,都貫穿於每一個音符和每一個沉默之間。她的存在，她的專注,她的誠實,邀請觀眾傾聽她的音樂思想。五顏六色在空中升起,讓我們進入劉珒的廣闊、淒美、感人的音樂世界。) -Julian Gau, The Boston Musical Intelligencer

Foundation for
Chinese Performing Arts

rehearsal & piano selection

event photos: Chung Cheng

event photos: Xiaopei Xu and Chi Wei Lo

Kate Liu 劉珒, pianist
https://www.kateliu.com/

Pianist Kate Liu gained international acclaim after winning the Bronze Medal and Best Mazurka Prize at the 17th International Fryderyk Chopin Competition in Warsaw, Poland. She was also awarded the audience favorite prize voted by the Polish public on the Polish National Radio.

As a soloist, Kate has performed in many important venues, such as the Seoul Arts Center, Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, Carnegie’s Weill Hall, Severance Hall in Cleveland, La Maison Symphonique de Montréal, Warsaw National Philharmonic, Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Shanghai Concert Hall, Osaka Symphony Hall, Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra Hall, Phillip’s Collection, and others. She has collaborated with orchestras including the Cleveland Orchestra, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, Polish Radio Orchestra, Poznan Philharmonic, Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, Daegu Symphony Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic, Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, and Evanston Symphony Orchestra. Her debut album of works by Chopin was released on the Fryderyk Chopin Institute label in 2016.

Born in Singapore, Kate began playing the piano when she was four years old and moved to the United States when she was eight. Early on in her career, she won 1st Prizes at the Third Asia-Pacific International Chopin Competition and the New York International Piano Competition. She received a Bachelor’s degree from the Curtis Institute of Music and is currently pursuing graduate studies at The Juilliard School with Robert McDonald and Yoheved Kaplinsky. Her previous private studies were at the Music Institute of Chicago with Alan Chow, Micah Yui and Emilio del Rosario.

NOTES ON THE PROGRAM
By Dr. Jannie Burdeti

劉珒 (Kate Liu) 音樂會會後新聞稿 (Feb 9, 2023)

中華表演藝術基金會上週六2月4日在紐英倫音樂學院喬頓廳 (Jordan Hall) 舉行由在新加坡出生，國際蕭邦大賽的銅獎得主，鋼琴家劉珒(Kate Liu) 獨奏會。儘管那天晚上的溫度在破紀錄的零度以下, 仍然有約 400多名熱情的觀眾參加了這場令人難忘的音樂會。為此高水平成功的演出,報以歡呼及掌聲,欲罷不能。

當晚的曲目包括蕭邦的夜曲、華爾茲、瑪祖卡、敘事曲等，及普羅科菲耶夫(Prokofiev)降B大調第八鋼琴奏鳴曲等作品。波士頓音樂情報 (The Boston Musical Intelligencer) 的樂評 Julian Gau以 “蕭邦和普羅科菲耶夫的精美微妙之處 (Exquisite Subtleties in Chopin and Prokofiev)” 作為標題將全場每一首作品做深入的評估, 他說:

“從最柔和、最親密的耳語到最大膽的吶喊，劉珒以她敏感、熱情的表演, 深深的吸引了周六喬丹廳的觀眾。劉珒對蕭邦的小品表現出了非凡的奉獻和關懷。音樂從低語變成洪流，激情的浪潮洶湧澎湃。幾乎就像我們在偷聽一些極其親密的事情。讓觀眾全神貫注。她在舞台上的每一時刻,都貫穿於每一個音符和每一個沉默之間。她的存在，她的專注，她的誠實,五顏六色在空中升起，邀請觀眾傾聽她的音樂思想。讓我們進入劉珒的廣闊、淒美、感人的音樂世界。”

劉珒在2015年國際蕭邦大賽中除了贏得銅獎以外，並同時獲得波蘭廣播電台特別獎，及觀眾投票選出最佳馬祖卡 Mazurka舞曲的特別獎。她的首張蕭邦作品專輯於 2016 年由蕭邦學院 (Chopin Institute)發行。在此之前，她已獲得無數次比賽的第一名及各種榮譽。作為獨奏家，劉珒曾在世界各地的重要音樂廳演出。與世界頂級交響樂團及指揮合作，佳評如潮。劉珒已由柯蒂斯(Curtis)音樂學院畢業，也已獲得茱莉雅(Juilliard)音樂學院最高學位藝術家文憑(Artistic Diploma)。相信她的名聲毫無疑問的會繼續在樂壇上發光發熱。

2021年3月20日，在大流行期间，中華表演藝術基金會為劉珒在波士顿伊莎貝拉博物館(Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum) 的Calderwood 音樂廳舉行了一場精彩的獨奏會。現場只允許10人。這是當時很少的現場音樂會之一。在全場錄影放在YouTube上後，一天內就有超過千次的觀賞，到目前为止，這場獨奏會的視頻 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcG2yUjWG3I&t=1900s) 已有超過三萬二千次的觀賞。

2月4日在喬頓廳音樂會的錄影近日將放上Youtube，供大家免費欣賞。也請關注中華表演基金會的 Instagram: @ cathychanfcpa.

劉珒 (Kate Liu) 音樂會新聞稿 (Feb 4, 2023)

中華表演藝術基金會第34屆音樂季 (2022-2023)第3場音樂會，將於2月4日週六晚8時，在新英格蘭音樂學院喬頓廳 (Jordan Hall) 舉行。由在新加坡出生，國際蕭邦大賽的銅獎得主，鋼琴家劉珒 (Kate Liu) 演出獨奏會。曲目包括蕭邦的夜曲、華爾茲、瑪祖卡、敘事曲等，及普羅科菲耶夫 (Prokofiev) 降B大調第八鋼琴奏鳴曲等作品。票價為 $15 (7-13歲)、$30、$50。提供學生免費票 (14歲以上)，及非學生贈送卷。需事前預訂。6歲以下兒童請勿入場。詳情請查官網。

2021年3月20日，在大流行期间，中華表演藝術基金會為劉珒在波士顿伊莎貝拉博物館 (Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum) 的 Calderwood 音樂廳舉行了一場精彩的現場獨奏會。現場只允許10人。這是當時很少的現場音樂會之一。在全場錄影放在YouTube上後，一天內就有超過千次的觀賞，到目前为止，這場獨奏會的視頻, 已有靠近三萬二千次的觀賞。波士頓音樂雜誌 (The Boston Musical Intelligencer) 的樂評兼鋼琴家Jim McDonald在看了品質極佳的錄影後說:『整場演出的態度都是絕對的認真嚴肅，鎮靜平穩，特別敏感，華麗又強有力。每個音符都是經過仔細的思考。使人聯想到蘇聯最偉大的鋼琴家之一Emil Gilels的演出。她在最強勢震撼之處能保持冷靜，在最調皮的地方也是用尊敬的專業的態度表現出來。』

劉珒已由柯蒂斯 (Curtis)音樂學院畢業，繼續在茱莉雅(Juilliard)音樂學院攻讀最高學位藝術家文憑。相信她的名聲毫無疑問的會繼續在樂壇上發光發熱。

主辦單位深知音樂對大眾的重要性，也了解個人經濟的壓力，所以每一場都提供免費票。但希望有心人能慷慨解囊，贊助音樂會的出場費和場租錄音等等費用，免稅捐款可上本網站。希望愛樂者不要錯過這場精彩的音樂會。

Yesterday evening Kate Liu gave an outstandingly beautiful recital at Jordan Hall, consisting of works by Frederic Chopin and the 8th sonata by Sergei Prokofiev.

Kate is one of the most expressive pianists I've ever heard, who puts so much emotion into the music and conveys the thoughts and ideas of the composer that the audience. From the very first notes of the Chopin Nocturne in C sharp minor to the encore at the end, she mesmerized the audience. It is really impressive that she can play with the softest pianissimo and still voice the melody superbly.

The Prokofiev 8th sonata, one of the "War Sonatas" was a brilliant performance with a mixture of emotions and atmospheres. Some of the slower sections painted a picture in sound of bleakness and desolation, such as a snowy scene with grey skies. The last movement was more upbeat and "electrical", and generated much excitement. The fast and loud arpeggios up and down the keyboard made the piano sound more like an orchestra.

I listened to Kate when she played in the Chopin competition and thought her Nocturne in B major op. 62 no 1 was one of the best I ever heard. I also heard her in Miami Florida for the Chopin Society a few years ago when she shared a recital with Eric Lu. That was a memorable and very enjoyable concert too.

Kate received a long standing ovation. I went to see and congratulate her after the concert. There was a long line of people including her friends and fans. Brava and congratulations to Kate Liu!!

The concert was organized by the Foundation for Chinese Performing Arts. I would like to thank the Founder and Director Cathy Chan for inviting me to this wonderful concert.

Robert Finley