Brahms Archives - ROVING PIANIST

Elegant Piano by Richarlita You in NYC

Wednesday, November 19th, 2025 by Ken Turner

Richarlita You at Central Park West

Richarlita You

On Saturday November 15th, 2025, I attended Richarlita You‘s recital at Robin Shoemaker’s salon on Central Park West, New York.

Richarlita You is currently returning to the stage after a two-year hiatus. Her repertoire for this concert was more a musical biography than a typical concert program. Each work represented a segment of her journey from childhood in Taiwan to life in the United States.

Schubert Impromptu B-flag major D.935 No. 3

Ms. You opened with Schubert’s delicate, wistful B-flat Impromptu. She described it as a reflection of her childhood, and of the moment she committed to becoming a pianist. I thought I recognized that moment in the sober, almost somber close of this otherwise uplifting work.

Liszt: La Campanella

Liszt’s notorious étude followed. While there was some tension in the delivery, it was vigorous and entertaining. I particularly enjoyed watching the pianist’s repeated-note technique from my front-row vantage point.

Scriabin: Sonata No. 2 in G# minor Op. 19 “Sonate-Fantasie”

The emotional center of Richarlita’s program began with Scriabin’s Sonata. In it she recognized echoes of her early years after crossing the ocean to the United States, finding a “path that we shared” in Scriabin’s oceanic composition. Her interpretation was heartfelt and evocative.

Richarlita You

Debussy: Clair de Lune

For Richarlita You, this work is a personal refuge. During her challenging early months at Juilliard, Spotify serendipitously selected Debussy’s Clair de Lune for her while she walked around Lincoln Center under a full moon. Her luminous performance carried that sense of serenity.

Brahms: Intermezzo in A major Op. 118 No. 2

Introducing Brahms as her favorite composer, Richarlita You mentioned the poignant story of Brahms’ love for Clara Schumann. The Intermezzo in A major Op. 118 No. 2 was Richarlita’s way of inviting us all to take a moment to think about the people that we love, and to cherish the precious relationships that we have with our loved ones.

True to the composer’s Andante teneramente (tender) marking, Richarlita’s Intermezzo wrapped us in warm, melancholic beauty.

Chi-Lien Hung: Memories (from Five Pieces for Pianoforte)

Richarlita You found Chi-Lien Hung’s Memories in a bookstore by accident. The score reminded her of her home town and the land she grew up in (Taiwan). This light, reflective pentatonic gem had an authentic Chinese feel.

Richarlita You with Robin Shoemaker

Balakirev: Islamey “Fantasie orientale”

Balakirev’s Islamey is a notoriously difficult work. The composer himself acknowledged that he couldn’t play some parts of it. Originally written in 1869, Balakirev revised it in 1902, adding alternative passages (ossias).

This was Richarlita You’s debut performance of Islamey, a bold way indeed to mark her return to public performance. Aside from the difficulty, this was a musically interesting experience. It is based on folk music from the Caucasus in Russia, giving it a certain brooding Russian taste.

Final Thoughts

Richarlita You’s recital was a brief musical autobiography, presented with elegance and considerable skill. The program’s personal thread was fascinating, and the intimate salon setting made the experience all the richer.

For those who missed this performance, the same repertoire is listed for her Groupmuse recital scheduled for Saturday January 17th, 2026.

Prizewinning Pianist Jack Gao’s Concert of Contrasts

Wednesday, January 10th, 2024 by Ken Turner

Jack Gao playing on Sunday January 7th 2024

I was thrilled to see Jack Gao perform at a salon concert in New York on January 7th. The concert was a co-presentation by host Robin Shoemaker and the Center for Musical Excellence, Director Min Kwon.

Ms. Kwon enthused about how well Jack played at the 2023 Gina Bachauer Piano Competition at Juilliard, where he won First Prize. More recently, he placed first at the 2023 Naumburg International Piano Competition.

She also noted that Jack will make his Carnegie Debut on February 5th 2024.

J. S. Bach: French Suite No. 5 in G major

Jack’s opening Allemande was elegantly phrased and captivating. I also enjoyed the contrast-laden Loure, whose halting tempo was sustained by effortless ripples and spiralling vortices.

But by far my favorite part of the Suite was Jack’s sublimely spiritual Sarabande, which at times hinted at Bach’s Goldberg Aria.

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 27 in E minor, Op. 90

I wasn’t sure what to make of this unusual sonata. The first movement was both pleasant and disturbing, light and dark, beautiful and dreadful. And yet there was always a sense that yin and yang would eventually resolve.

I liked how Mr. Gao evoked these contrasting moods. I liked when he unleashed Beethoven’s anguish and then let it fade. And I loved how he created those ethereal pianissimos. But I need to listen to this work again in order to grasp it better.

Liszt: Transcendental Étude No. 5, “Feux Follets”

After Beethoven’s relatively gloomy sonata, Liszt’s brash Etude allowed the pianist to have some much-needed fun. Jack’s delivery was a crowd-pleaser, entertaining and virtuosic.

Bartok: Piano Sonata

This Bartok was not an easy listen for me. While at times it was boisterously festive, at other times it felt like biting on eggshell in your omelet. This was no fault of the pianist, who played with power and conviction.

Min Kwon and Jack Gao play Brahms

Brahms: Hungarian Dances No. 1 and No. 4 for four hands

For the first Brahms dance, Jack played Secondo (left side), powering Brahms’ lush, romantic main theme. Ms. Kwon took Primo, sprinkling the room with upper register twinkles.

For the second dance, the pianists switched roles. I found myself laughing as Jack played mischievous seconds. It was a spirited, entertaining performance.

Gao, Lowenthal, Kwon

Surprises

Wrapping up the evening, Min Kwon introduced two distinguished members of the audience: pianist Ursula Oppens and pianist Jerome Lowenthal.

Mr Lowenthal joined Ms. Kwon and Mr. Gao to play Rachmaninoff’s Romance for 6 hands, a beautiful work that felt all the more special because it was being performed by pianists from 3 generations.

Unfortunately it also meant that this fascinating concert of contrasts was coming to a close.

Postscript

After the recital I spent a few minutes with Jack Gao. When I asked him how he felt about his Beethoven sonata, he lit up with enthusiasm and started explaining its construction. Jack is a versatile musician who clearly loves what he is doing, and his future looks bright.

Host Robin with Jack Gao and Min Kwon

Grace Park and Joseph Liccardo at Central Park West

Monday, November 5th, 2018 by Ken Turner

Grace Park playing a 1799 Nicolas Lupot violin at Central Park West

Grace Park with the 1799 Lupot violin

Grace Park and Joseph Liccardo

On Saturday November 3rd, 2018, violinist Grace Park and pianist Joseph Liccardo performed at Robin Shoemaker’s Central Park West salon.

My anticipation of this event grew when I learned that Ms. Park was playing a 1799 Nicolas Lupot violin.

Mozart: Sonata for Violin and Piano in E flat Major K. 481

The first movement contains lively dialog between violin and piano. Ms. Park and Mr. Liccardo maintained an apparently effortless coordination, allowing the Molto Allegro to flow naturally across the movement’s choppy phrasing.

In the Adagio, Ms. Park’s violin rose gracefully (sic) over the accompaniment, first as a slow dance and then to sing. In her hands this violin shone in the higher registers.

Overall, Mozart’s Sonata No. 33 was a well-balanced collaboration between two musicians who clearly loved what they were doing.

Brahms: Sonata No. 2 for Violin and Piano in A major Op. 100

This warm, entertaining work was at times expressively lyrical. At other times it was technically demanding. In fact, the Sonata was a showpiece for both musicians.

In that regard, there were moments when Joseph’s piano sounded as sweet as Grace’s exotic violin. And I enjoyed Ms. Park’s vibrant pizzicato immensely.

Neither musician wasted energy on superfluous showmanship. But I had to chuckle when Brahms got the violinist dancing around (apparently on bare feet).

Grace Park with Joe Liccardo and Robin Shoemaker

Joseph, Grace and Robin Shoemaker

Tchaikovsky: Souvenir d’un lieu cher Op. 42

Souvenir is a wonderfully Russian work and quintessential Tchaikovsky.

There are pounding rhythms reminiscent of the 3rd movement of the 6th Symphony, and soaring melodies. The performers were equally at ease with both.

And again, the collaboration between pianist and violinist was perfect.

Stravinsky: Divertimento for Violin and Piano after ‘The Fairy’s Kiss’

This work is Stravinsky’s derivation (with violinist Samuel Dushkin) from his own orchestral ballet “The Fairy’s Kiss”, which in turn was based on songs by Tchaikovsky.

That said, Divertimento is very much Stravinsky’s own unique work, with manic dance rhythms and echoes of his other compositions.

Notwithstanding that they had already been playing for an hour, Mr. Liccardo and Ms. Park engaged Stravinsky with vigor and enthusiasm. The result was a highly enjoyable and often compelling performance.

Nicolas Lupot Violin

Some refer to Lupot as the “French Stradivarius”. I didn’t know what to expect of such a unique instrument as his 1799 violin from Paris, but I noticed a particular sweetness in the upper middle register.

Later I asked Ms. Park what it is like for her to play the Lupot. She responded that the instrument is in perfect condition, very responsive to the performer, and crystal clear especially at the top end.

“It sparkles differently than a Strad”, she said. “I love it.”