Sarah Tuan plays at the Shoemaker salon
Sarah Tuan
I was impressed when I saw pianist Sarah Tuan play for my Juilliard Extension class. So I was thrilled to attend her January 31st, 2026 recital at the Shoemaker salon on Central Park West. Despite New York’s frigid weather, the salon was filled to capacity.
Ms. Tuan entered the room to infectious cheers from her supporters. She briefly reviewed the first half of the recital, noting that she likes to include Chopin due to her transformative experience participating in the International Chopin Competition in Warsaw in 2021.
Chopin Mazurkas
The recital opened with three mazurkas. Although in triple time, a mazurka is in no way a kind of waltz. In Opus 24 No. 3, Ms. Tuan’s rhythmic control and perfect fermatas created that authentic mazurka sway. In crowd-pleaser Opus 33 No. 3 her sparkling trills were the stuff of magic. Opus 50 No. 1 was lighter on charm and heavier on dance.
Grieg: Sonata in E Minor, Op. 7
Sarah Tuan NYC January 31, 2026
Sarah Tuan described this work as stark, romantic and almost tragic. Her pace was unforced, neither as showy as Denis Matsuev or as withdrawn as outlier Glenn Gould. She promoted Grieg’s tense colors with precision and clarity, showing a lot of power and strong command of the instrument. I loved her reflective second movement (Andante molto) and her stately Alla Menuetto.
Debussy: Arabesque No. 2 in G Major
Ms. Tuan spun the bird-like trills of this playful arabesque with ease. The middle section softened and flowed, then the luminous trills returned before the final pianissimo. I prefer Sarah Tuan’s performance to Debussy’s, because unlike Debussy she didn’t rush the conclusion.
Schubert: Sonata in A Major, D. 959
Sarah Tuan’s Sonata clocked in at 35 minutes, requiring a lot of stamina. For this writer, the highlight of D.939 was the Andantino. Ms. Tuan’s restrained performance of this anguished, sighing eight-minute movement was crystal clear, tearing at the heartstrings while perfectly-voiced hands cooperated and contrasted. To hear Sarah Tuan play Schubert’s Andantino at the Shoemaker salon, click below.
Sarah Tuan with Robin Shoemaker
Satie: Je Te Veux (encore)
After such a weighty program, Satie’s lightly sentimental waltz was an ideal encore. Ms. Tuan played with humor, flirtatious rubato and sensuous voicing, charming the room as the concert drew to a close.
Final Thoughts
Sarah Tuan is a fine, versatile pianist who does not engage in keyboard theatrics. At times she would lean back and her gaze would lift, but mostly she watched her hands. Sometimes she sang silently, with an occasional smile. She clearly loves what she does.
As to artistry and technique, Ms. Tuan has it all. Her Grieg was excellent, her Schubert was profoundly moving, and her Satie encore delightful. Keep an eye on her website for future performances.
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