Mazurka Archives - ROVING PIANIST

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 Her pace was unforced, neither as showy as Denis Matsuev or as withdrawn as outlier Glenn Gould.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 confident, 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.

Yan Shen in New York

Yan Shen’s New York Debut

On Friday August 13th, Houston-based pianist Yan Shen made her New York debut at Robin Shoemaker’s NYC salon.

Her all-Chopin program consisted of 3 polonaises, 8 mazurkas, and a 25-minute sonata.

Chopin: Polonaise Op. 40 No. 1

At first the cultivated pomp of this polonaise seems grandiose. You can hear drums and marching armies, hence its nickname “Military Polonaise”.

But the polonaise is not really about glory. Instead, it reflects the dreams of Chopin’s Poland, a nation oppressed by opportunistic adversaries. At times Ms. Shen’s Polonaise hesitated with Shostakovich-like sarcasm, as if doubting the promise of those dreams.

Chopin: Mazurka Op. 6 No. 1-4

Yan Shen speaking

At the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition everyone has to play mazurki. Some are slight works that leave little impression. Others are more consequential, but hard to recognize by Opus Number because Chopin wrote so many.

Op. 6 No. 1, however, is innately memorable. It has a delicious swirl to it, which Ms. Shen evoked with characteristic economy. Some pianists use leaps and hand-crossing as visual flair, but Ms. Shen just took them in stride.

Ms. Shen’s Opus 6 No. 3 also stood out. With its bright, declamatory opening and cute descending bass motif it was a clean, happy performance.

Chopin: Polonaise Op. 26 No. 1

This polonaise opens with Beethoven-like drama. before evolving to slower, more melodic passages. Ms. Shen seemed very much at home with this work, which is one of Chopin’s earliest polonaises.

Chopin: Mazurka Op. 68 No. 1-4

In Mazurka Op. 68 No. 2 Yan Shen’s rubato was more pronounced, adding sway to this delightful gem. It had exquisitely executed twirls reminiscent of those in Op. 6 No. 1. We also enjoyed Op. 68 No. 3, with its stop-start feel and the Bartok-like folk dance in the middle.

Chopin: Polonaise Op. 53

Robin Shoemaker with Yan

Known as the Heroic Polonaise, this technically demanding work is a concert favorite. Unlike the Military Polonaise, here Chopin’s grandeur is unforced, and Ms. Shen hammered out an impressive performance.

There were a couple of moments where the tempo seemed to run ahead of the pianist, but it must be hard to control one’s adrenalin when playing such stirring repertoire.

Chopin: Sonata No. 2

Chopin’s 2nd Sonata is an immense work and a personal favorite of mine. Yan Shen’s interpretation was spirited and intense from start to finish. Afterwards there was a moment of awed silence before applause broke out.

Steve Ho: Kung Fu Rhapsody

As an encore Ms. Shen played Kung Fu Rhapsody by contemporary Hong Kong composer Steve Ho. It starts with a pulsing, cartoonish thread that morphs into pentatonic melody before returning to its more energetic core. I found this work entertaining, but am not familiar with the movie that inspired it.

Closing Thoughts

Chopin’s portrayal of grandeur was the anchor of this recital. Starting with the Military Polonaise, it evolved to the Heroic Polonaise, and culminated in Sonata No. 2. These works were interspersed with lighter fare, allowing the performer to pace herself and peak with her memorable rendition of Chopin’s Sonata No. 2.

Sarah Tuan: Precision, Clarity, and Heart