An Tianxu
Tchaikovsky – Dumka, Op.59
The source of Tchaikovsky’s inspiration for this work was his solitary residence in the countryside far north of Moscow – he wrote: “"I love our Russian countryside more than any other, and for me the Russian landscape in winter has an incomparable charm…”
The dumka, a narrative Slavic folk song tests the ability of any performer to move abruptly from melancholy to excitement. I like your performance as you have the ability to communicate this contrast. At the same time your tone and pacing of the opening section is very good, indeed your opening chords establish an immediate mood of sadness and solitude. Also when these chords return, you are wonderful in capturing the mood (be careful of the rhythm in the second last measure, they are eighth notes). The high spirits of the middle section could be more colorful and while you keep advisedly the same tempo, within the pulse there are numerous possibilities of rhythmic variations. The excitement should continue even though the tempo slows slightly in “Poco meno mosso”, through the cadenza and the following “Andante” which is the ultimate climax of the work. Have this larger vision next time you perform this masterpiece.

Haydn: Sonata in C minor, Hob.XVI/20
This Haydn Sonata is a wonderful choice to follow the Tchaikovsky as in a way it has similar somber, melancholy mood. Works in the minor keys are fairly rare in the Classical period and Haydn displays deeper feelings and emotions in these keys. Your playing is very competent and you are successful in finding the volume of sound that is more suitable Classical style. My advice is for you explore carefully the variety of articulation which allows Haydn’s sonatas to speak clearly and rhythmically. Observe the different colors produced by the movement through the keys. For example at the beginning of the Development Section the music moves from E-flat major to F minor to A-flat major ending in D-flat major. Surprises are important in Haydn’s sonatas – in this section he speeds up the momentum then suddenly stops and quickly returns to the main subject. As you learn more and more Classical works try to find a deeper understanding within the music without imposing your personal feelings.

Liszt: Concert Etude “Gnomenreigen”
Your performance is very impressive and shows your technical ability. You have the necessary light touch, a wonderful sense for the rhythmic pulse throughout the work. Most etudes are constructed by way of repetition and here too, Liszt builds the work on two contrasting sections. Notice how the colors change when the material is repeated in a different key – the 9/8 section at first is in A major and next time in B-flat major. Further, performance tradition dictates that there is a gradually quickening of tempo as Liszt markings of “sempre presto” and “vivacissimo” and “il piu Presto possible” demand. In most of Liszt’s works, much depends on the performer to communicate in a more personal way, I suggest that you make your performance more convincing by playing the initial section slower and gradually accelerate towards the end.

An Tinaxu, you have a natural ability to play the piano. Keep up your excellent work, while at the same time study the scores carefully and try to find ways to get to the heart of what the composers want to communicate.

An Tianxu
Tchaikovsky Dumka
You have a beautiful sound control and shape the phrases gorgeously in the opening section. When the right hand has the faster moving accompaniment, your playing becomes slightly more agitated, but it should still be soulful and calm. The faster section is very clear and crisp, although sometimes a little breathless. Very impressive octaves. I would also recommend exploring a wider variety of colors in the loud range (F to FF).
Haydn Sonata no. 33 in C minor, 1st movement
Beautiful clarity of tone in the right hand melody throughout the movement. The left hand could be more active in participating to the harmonic and structural development of the piece.
Liszt Gnomenreigen
A little too hectic and breathless for me. It is nice to be able to play that fast, but I missed some balance with the more relaxed sections.  The clarity of sound is once again very good throughout, but a wider range of dynamics and a lighter feeling would have been beneficial.

An Tianxu
I find your gentle and sensitive touch quite compelling and communicative. Dumka is well played, but I felt lack of your theatrical imagination: it was only sad or happy, not much in between. I believe, Dumka is one of the highest density pieces by Tchaikovsky – I would compare it with Chopin’s Fourth Ballade or Fantasy in f minor. The image of a very poor Russian illiterate peasant man sitting in his “izba” (very basic home), thinking of his hopeless life and in the middle of the piece having a happy dream of a country fair, then waking up feeling even worse than before --- I did not see those or other radical dramatic images. I was very impressed with your precision and delicate technical prowess in Gnomenreigen, however, the very beginning could be much more imaginative. Haydn c-minor Sonata’s First movement was well played, a little too conservatively for my taste. Overall, especially considering your very young age, the program was quite well played.
I have no doubt that you are quite talented and that you will keep developing rapidly. I suggest you to work more on creating your own imaginary world and inviting us, listeners in.

An Tianxu
Tchaikovsky’s Dumka was effortlessly executed at appropriate tempos and with tasteful musicality.  Dynamics were rather underplayed.  There was a need for much more intensity, energy and physical excitement in the approach.  Today the opening section did not communicate a sense of real involvement. As phrases unfolded there was an insufficient sense of tension and release as they opened up and then relaxed.   There is so much more that can be added in terms of voicing and colour.  The fast section showed extremely impressive articulation-most impressively accurate in the semiquaver runs, but again there was a lack of real hierarchy and momentum in the phrasing.  Climaxes came and went with insufficient projection of the musical direction and under-projection of the shape.  Unfortunately this made the performance rather dull overall.

First movement of Haydn’s sonata was played neatly and with elegance.    Proficient and accurate playing that underplayed the dynamics.  But this is an extraordinary, revolutionary and agitated movement, with ‘storm and stress’ aplenty.  Sadly this performance missed out on the drama, energy and vital, requisite sense of agitation, fear and uncertainty. Much more imagination and exploration of the left hand would have helped things enormously.  Overall the tempo was rather on the slow side for my own particular taste, but even at this tempo it would have been possible to communicate much more of the music’s innate melancholy, energetic abandon and iconoclastic innovation than was the case here.

Liszt’s ‘Gnomenreigen’ was by far the most impressive performance in this ‘mini recital’.  Tremendous facility and excellent speed.  Most impressive of all was the articulation- wonderful clarity and control with exquisite delicacy and sparkle. A triumphant conclusion to an impressive recital.

An Tianxu
TchaikovskyDumka – Very lovely, nice phrases, good sound control – very artistic.could be even freer with more contrasts between sections

Haydn sonata c minor – good understanding of style, for me there is not enough rhythmic punctuation and direction – every beat feels more or less the same. However, still very poised

LizstGnomenreigen – brilliant finger work, bravo! the tempo is almost too fast in the beginning of the piece – I would have preferred more charm and contrasts, saving the fastest tempo until the end.

In general, exceptional pianistic ability and good musicianship – do not be afraid to speak with your own voice.

An Tianxu
Tchaikovsky Doumka Op 59
There was a good tone and confidence in the performance. The range of dynamics was very limited and needed to be much larger to be able to follow the details in the score. 
Haydn Sonata No 33 in c minor, Hob XVI/20 Mvt 1
Once again there was a very small range of dynamics. There was a nice feeling for the style however.
Liszt Concert Etude “Gnomenreigen”
There was a bright tempo and good technical security as well as good memory.

An Tianxu
Tchaikovsky Dumka: It is very focused playing with good clarity, natural flow, and good quality sound. You have had very good training and it shows in your playing. Sometimes sound is too short causing phrases to be dry, especially those chords in the loud parts, but over all a very solid performance.
Haydn Sonata: I found it nice and charming with good control. Good stylish playing. But I am missing the subtle yet frequent contrasts and changes in classical sonatas. Also, it could be more energetic.  Sometimes it feels a little stagnant.
Gnormenreigen: I think the tempo is too fast. Even with good finger work and clear runs, the piece lost the rhythm and all its charm. Sometimes, just because we CAN do something, it doesn't mean we SHOULD.
Overall, a very talented youngster. Remember that the technique should always serve music, and you will have a promising future.

Gu Xinhao
Mendelssohn: Rondo Capriccioso, Op.14
Your performance sounds very secure and reflects your excellent technical ability. I especially liked the freshness of your approach of the “Presto” section and your talent to bring out the different characters within the music. You balance the hands very well and allow the melody to come out constantly in a natural way.
My main concern is the introductory “Andante”. In your hands, the tempo is quite fast thus not allowing the operatic melody to blossom and shine. Further, it seems that you consistently slow down at cadence points as if to end which hinders the flow of the music. A more natural phrasing would make the music come alive and allow the melody to unfold in a simple manner. Selecting a more deliberate tempo also would allow you to make more contrast in the E minor section with its constant forward motion. For further understanding of this style you should hear a performance of Mendelssohn’s Overture to a Midsummer Night's Dream where the constant eighth notes propel through effortlessly. Listening to this work should also give you insight into the clarity needed and shaping of passages.

Liszt: Concert Etude “Waldesrauschen”
Well conceived performance full of many convincing moments. I like the control you have and the way you move the music forward. In time you will discover more opportunities to extend your colors and allow for a simpler melodic flow. At the moment you want to be more individual, yet sometimes simplicity is closer to the truth. This is a late work of Liszt inspired by the transparent forests of southern Europe not the dense northern type. Very much the forerunner of impressionism, I feel it to be more a forest illuminated by the shifting sunlight that peaks through a cloudy sky. The constant triplet figures announce the murmurs and they need to be even in both articulation and dynamics. At times these become too thick and force you to make the melodic line much louder than necessary. The two climaxes were well played you never made the piano sound harsh. Perhaps the most successful moment was the Coda where your control and inspiration came together.

Haydn: Sonata in E-flat major, Hob.XVI/52
You have a wonderful ability of communicating the beauty of this sonata and display a good understanding for the Classical style. Especially you made me aware of the numerous surprises that Haydn has in store for us – the modulation at the beginning of the Development from E-flat to C major and the following passage that moves to D major. The contrast between the chromatic melodic line and the exchange between tonic dominant chords are clear and well brought out. Perhaps where you can be clearer is the sense of tension and relaxation within the music. This is quite a challenge and requires intense listening for nuances and clarification of phrases. But you are well on the way to becoming an excellent performer with a clear idea of the classical style.

Gu Xinhao, you are a very talented pianist, and already in many ways mature and with personal ideas and convictions. You use your excellent technique to enable the music to communicate its meaning to your listeners. I hope you will continue to develop your musical awareness.

Gu Xinhao
Mendelssohn Rondo Capriccioso
The opening is very solid, but I think the singing lines can be longer.  The faster part is very clear, and the long melodic subject is quite beautiful. In general I think the piece could have a bit more humor.
Liszt Waldesrauschen
Very good performance. Your clarity is really admirable. My main comment is that it feels rather heavy when the left hand has faster moving passages. The right hand is very capable of playing fast and very light, and the left hand should be able to match that or the piece will feel too heavy.
Haydn Sonata Hob. XV/52, 1st movement
Elegant and stately playing. I would have loved to see more contrasts in sound quality. Your crisp playing is great. However, fast passages do not necessarily need to be played crisply and loud but can also be soft and legato according to the music.

Gu Xinhao
I like very much your musical initiative, which became obvious from the first note of Mendelssohn. The rest of piece was also quite well played. I would wish for even more subtle technical precision – but it was still quite charming. Liszt impressed me even more wish fresh bold colors, effortless pianism and aplomb.I enjoyed “f”, gentle but confident phrasing. The Forest storm episode in the middle of the piece was performed well but when I closed my eyes, I still failed to imagine the real storm. I believe that this sonata by Haydn is one of the (if not the) most grand and significant sonatas of his (and even Mozart’s) time. With the first chords I want to be invited to the great ball room of the Royal Palace. Al the further events are large-scale, requiring performer to push the envelope of his imagination.
I see here a very strong potential for truly inspiring playing. In order to achieve it, more risks have to be taken. Don’t be afraid to push your imagination further, even if it will coast you a mistake or two – in the long run with talent and good guidance you will find your true artistic self.

Gu Xinhao
The Andante of the Mendelssohn had an excellent sense of shape and direction, though the forward drive meant that the character emerged with insufficient tenderness and expression.  Left hand triads at the opening could have been more controlled.  In the Rondo was played effortlessly and with energetic bravura.  The left hand did not quite match the right in terms of legggiero and magical delicacy, but overall the performance sounded stylistic and exciting, if a little lacking in terms of variety of colour.  Some small technical flaws.  With more focus and imagination in terms of input from the left hand, the performance will grow even further in stature.

Liszt ‘Waldesrauschen’ immediately showed a lovely sense of shape.  Natural phrasing and subtle rubato was very impressive.  It could have been even more exquisite and enticing if the dynamic level had been quieter throughout.  A beautifully relaxed and natural technique.  Very convincing and exciting playing.  Again at the climax, as in the Mendelssohn, some small technical blips in the left hand slightly upset the otherwise immaculate technical impression.

The first movement of Haydn’s final, E flat sonata showed a magisterial, regal approach with lots of tonal variety and imagination.   For my taste the second subject group was not set apart and contrasted sufficiently with the rest of the movement, and in the development the sequences were executed rather dutifully.  The ‘wrong key’ entry in E major needed to project more extraordinary disbelief!  But this was impressive Haydn by any standard: Lovely leggiero and variety in the right hand, but as in the rest of the programme, the left hand was not quite on the same level, tending to be too heavy in the louder dynamic range, and needing more care and imaginative input throughout.

Gu Xinhao
Mendelssohn  rondo capriccioso – good sense of rubato, occasionally tempo changes are a bit exaggerated, virtuoso passages could be lighter and more brilliant. very nice sound and color.

LisztWaldesrauschen –very warm, atmospheric playing. while beautifully carrying the melodic like at times crescendo happens to quickly and the “f” is achieved too soon.

Haynd Sonata E-flat major – very good understanding of style, clear textures, wonderfultimbres and balance, good awareness of harmonic movement.

Beautiful, convincing performance! Strive for even more effortless pianism

Gu Xinhao
Mendelssohn Rondo Capriccioso Op 14
There was a very good touch and the Andante was nicely shaped and the Capriccioso section was very lively with a well developed technique. The performer was very involved with the performance and the character of the piece was well captured.
Liszt Concert Etude “Waldesrauschen” 
There was quite a different colour in the performance of this work. The technical aspects were very clean and the climaxes were well handled.
Haydn Sonata Hob XVI/52, Mvt 1
There was a very lively tempo and very well controlled playing. There were pleasing good contrasts in the performance.

Gu Xinhao
Mendelssohn: Rondo Capriccioso, Very sensitive playing. You have very nice phrasing in the introduction. The Rondo is well played with good finger work. And it is tightly controlled. But I think the music could be lighter, more fun and imaginative.
 
Liszt Waldesrauschen, It has good flow, and is played with energy. But the accompanying hand is too often too loud, causing the melodic line to sound forced sometimes. There should be a marked difference in color and atmosphere between the melody that's in the middle register and the one that is in the upper register. I also find the phrasing to be a little flat, especially in the part that involves octaves. A true virtuoso should make a difficult piece sound easy, and turn an etude into a piece of music.

Haydn sonata, again, well controlled, great runs. But it needs a better flow. A Haydn sonata also should have some charm, and energy. The phrases need direction.  The music needs energy.
Overall, an extremely well trained young pianist. Just remember that the audience can only enjoy the music as much as the performer does. So if you enjoy the music more and thus become more expressive, your music will in turn become more enjoyable.

Wong Wai Yuen
Haydn: Sonata in E-flat major, Hob.XVI/45
From the first note I felt that you are a serious pianist, one who takes instruction and advice to heart and believes in conscientious dedication to music. I am very happy that you selected this smaller E-flat Sonata, perhaps younger brother of the “big” English Sonata that is so often played. The wealth of music ideas and forms in Haydn Sonatas can be said to even surpass those of Mozart, perhaps even Beethoven. Although Haydn’s works are less demanding technically, they are not easier to interpret. One of the fascinating challenges for today’s performers is the demands of Haydn for a greater creative contribution, how to cope with the inherent freedom he allows. In this Sonata there are no dynamic indications and only a few suggested articulations are noted. What to do is a big question. But a few things show us the way to go – for instance when the part writing is in two or three parts balancing the voices are important, modulations especially to the minor keys heighten tension and the clarity of cadences is essential for the release the tension and for the structure. Use more imagination, make the piece come alive with lots more surprises and contrast, make it an experience, it is all there for you to discover.

Liszt: Concert Etude “La leggierezza”
I do admire your technical ability and the ease in which you perform difficult passages. You are indeed a wonderful performer and capture our attention with your ideas, however, on the whole I do not find you convincing. Somehow the essence of “La leggierezza” or “Lightness” is often absent, the transparency offered by the chromatic scales is missing. The simplicity together with elegance is the most important aspect of this etude and should be your goal. After the introductory “”capriccio” the continued improvisation similar in fact to Chopin Impromptus should have a natural flow. You are trying too hard to show the beauty of each phrase, yet it only makes you see individual trees and not the whole forest. Your best playing is in the exciting middle section where the music flows through numerous modulations however try to get more pure sound and simplicity thet makes this a real masterpiece.

Ginastera: “Danzas Argentinas”
Your performance of these dances is very successful and show a great deal of freshness and wonderful atmosphere. In the “Dance of the Old Herdsman” you capture the dance with excellent colors and rhythmic drive. Watch the rhythm when you play the repeated notes high in the upper register marked “pp”, you are distorting the pulse too much. Bring out the last chord (E – A – D – G- B- E), this is Ginastera’s favorite chords and is the open strings of a guitar. The second dance “Dance of the Beautiful Maiden” you performance is captivating. I like the simplicity of the outer section while the middle is full of passion and darker colors. Be careful not to break the natural flow of the music with too much rubato and allow for long phrases. The last dance (Dance of the Arrogant Cowboy) is a real show of your technical ability. While I do admire that you can play so fast, I strongly advise that you try to make sure that there is a strong rhythmic pulse instead of fast flowing passages. The key advice for this dance is from the composer: “ritmico e energico”. Try to clarify the constant contrasts between three and two beats in a measure which is the basis of the dance. In all dances the rhythm and pulse are the backbone without which the music cannot live.

Huang Weiyuan, you are a very talented pianist and have a terrific capacity for performance.
I hope you will gain more and more experience through listening and experiencing many composers and then making their piano works your individual expression.

Wong Wai Yuen
Haydn Sonata, Hob. XVI/45, 1st movement
Great variety of touch and character. Sounds alive and very humorous and the full dramatic sense of the structure is very clear. Brava! Be careful not to play too heavily in the right hand. It provides great contrast, but I would scale down the volume and heaviness of the right hand. Sometimes it can sound pushed and aggressive, if you are not careful.
Liszt La Leggierezza
Beautiful performance. I wonder if the fast right hand passages can be even lighter. They feel almost too real. Very convincing conception of this piece.
GinasteraDanzasArgentinas
In the first one, once again the character was very spot-on! The clarity was also compelling. Beautiful atmosphere in the second one, but maybe it could be even warmer and more subtle. The left hand seemed a bit too active, in my opinion. The third was very impressive. Great clarity, command and very exciting. However it could be even more effective if you took it a little slower and did not let it run away, especially at the beginning.

Wong Wai Yuen
Dear Weiyuan, your genuine care towards everything you play immediately became apparent for me. You are a young artist already mature enough not to be afraid of making your own musical decisions. Firstly I am excited to hear such rarely played Haydn sonata – good choice. Very well played – my only comment would be to use subtle “p” or “pp” colors (possibly with soft pedal) little more often. I wish, I could hear the rest of this beautiful sonata!

La leggierezza also was quite beautiful – but towards the end of the piece in the recapitulation, the long and winding modulating sequence moving across tonalities like a mysterious serpentcould have been played more interestingly. I believe, this is Liszt’s most valuable achievement in this sublimely beautiful piece and it should be treated with even more distinct care.

I simply loved the whole cycle of Ginastera – it was passionate, true, moving and quite imaginative. Middle one could be even more mellow and, possibly, a little slower.
Bravo. You are on the right road and every month your playing will become better and better. We will be watching!

Wong Wai Yuen
Alert energy and extrovert intensity were immediately evident in the early Haydn E flat sonata movement.  Accents throughout were rather unsubtle and often misplaced.  Overall the articulation tended to be too heavy neededmore tonalvariety and application with the musical context more firmly in mind.   The left hand part needed more sensitivity andcare Overall poetry and cantabile was a little too direct and forward- with a little more reserve and wistful creativity to offset the energetic passages in the movement the whole performance will rise in stature.

Liszt’s ‘La Leggierezza’ showed admirable confidence and assertive power, but rather missed the point.  This is wistful, delicate and extraordinarily refined music that requires much more lightness and finesse than was evident here.  It is essential to eliminate all the accents.  At all dynamic levels it is vital to create a music that floats above the earth that does not ‘shout’ at the listener, but rather weaves a quasi celestial web of magically delicate sounds.

Ginastera’s punchy, percussive style showed much more authority and conviction here.  Excellent articulation and rhythmic vibrancy.  The quieter passages could have been even more enticing and spellbinding- an even quieter level would be possible.  In the second dance a more daringly slow tempo could have been adopted for even more expressive conviction.  The rubato was a little contrived and lacking in natural grace, though there was no doubting the impressive craftsmanship of the performance. The final had to be admired for the extraordinary velocity.  Very impressive on a mechanical level, but the character and projection of the phrasing and articulation was underplayed because of the sheer speed adopted.  Even the contrasts of dynamics were rather lost in the overall sweep and momentum.  Excitement and energetic abandon aplenty certainly.

Wong Wai Yuen
Haydn Sonata – very good articulation, harmonic awareness and sense of structure.a bit aggressive – try to maintain elegance.

Lizst La leggierezza – very nicely shaped.at times seems a bit laborious and lacking simplicity. every note is important, but an impulse and a long line are even more important in a virtuoso piece.

GinasteraDanzasArgentinas – great character! beautifully executed, nice timing. very artistic!

Bravo!

Wong Wai Yuen
Haydn Sonata Hob XVI/45, Mvt 1
The performance had a lively tempo and secure technique and was very well controlled. The character of the movement was well captured.
Liszt Concert Etude “La Leggierezza”
The performance was very well projected and the competitor was very well involved in the performance.
Ginastera Danzas Argentinas, Op 2 “Danza del gaucho matrero”
The performance had a very good dynamic range and the performance was very confident and the character of this work was very well projected.

Wong Wai Yuen
Haydn Sonata, It is very energetic and lively. I like the fact you play with a big sound. It brings energy and excitement to the music. However, the sound sometimes is too direct. Perhaps if one softens the touch a bit, it might help bring out the charming colors in Haydn.
Liszt Leggierezza, Here again is energetic. You showed a nice emotional and dynamic range, and you are very sensitive with phrasing. The runs are very good also. I just feel that it could be lighter, and faster.
Ginastera Danzas Argentines, It is extremely lively with very strong rhythm. The 2nd one has a good flowing tempo and a nice singing sound, befitting a maiden's dance. I like the range here too. You seem to truly feel the music. The 3rd one does sound like a South American wild dance. I like the powerful rhythmic urge you bring out. A very enjoyable performance.

Huang Zhiyi
Haydn: Sonata in C major, Hob.XVI/50
You have a wonderfully natural approach to the piano. I enjoyed very much hearing your interpretation of this very humorous work. Haydn must have enjoyed composing this as he has so many unexpected turns and so many sudden surprises. You are a very intelligent student who understands the reasons for so many rules that make up the language of the Classical period. Especially I want to congratulate you for taking care most of the time how you articulate and for carefully making certain of the dynamics. You should also take care and recognize how the 4/4 time signature influences the rhythm as well as the hierarchy of the beats. Without such insight the music often lacks the forward motion that is so important in this and many other Haydn sonata first movements. Also you have a tendency to slow down when you want to be more expressive. I strongly advise you against this as in the classical period composers selected compatible themes to work together under the umbrella of one tempo.

Liszt: Concert Etude “Gnomenreigen”
This performance is a wonderful achievement for you. In so many ways I feel you imagine the “gnomes” dancing and you manage to get numerous characters to show their faces. Traditionally after the repeat of the two contrasting sections, the tempo as Liszt indicates “sempre presto” gets faster till the very end. Here to, the increase of the tempo can be felt through quickening of modulations and even the use of hemiola. Notice how Liszt indicates the acceleration of the tempo with indications such as “vivacissimo” and “il piu Preseto possible”.  Indeed I am impressed that with your small hands you managed so well many of the technical requirements inherent in the work. And surprisingly you even managed to produce some of the sounds that lean towards darker colors of this lighthearted dance. At the same time I advise you to make more certain the dynamic markings that Liszt so carefully marked.

Mendelssohn: Rondo Capriccioso, Op.14
This is a very satisfying performance. In all aspects you managed to get to the essence of the music. The contrast between the E major introduction and the E minor main section is wonderfully clear. The descending tonic triad outlines the themes of the “Andante” and the “Presto” while the home keys are firmly established. You varied the tempo in the introduction, becoming more impatient towards the “ff” climax. I would caution against such acceleration as the music itself is doing this without any of your help. Further, if possible make every effort to be simpler, your soprano sounded as she wanted to place her own character into the music. Your scherzo-like fast section had a wonderful crispness and reminded me of the Overture to a Midsummer Night's Dream. The clarity of your voicing and pacing of the different themes was superbly conceived.

Huang Zhiyi, you are already a wonderful artistic performer. Keep working with your teacher, learning a great variety of repertoire and enjoy each new discovery as music creates a never ending journey for all of us. 

Huang Zhiyi
Haydn Sonata Hob. XVI/50, 1st movement
Great character and very varied performance. Incredibly convincing! Sometimes faster passages in the right hand feel a bit too pushed and out of context. It is great to have contrasts, but be careful not to think of ornaments and faster notes as just fast, louder and crisper passages. They also feel a bit rushed and breathless at times.
Liszt Gnomenreigen
Good clarity, but a bit too heavy and divided in sections. Phrases could be longer and the overall feeling lighter and more whimsical.
Mendelssohn Rondo Capriccioso
You are very musical and have great instincts. Again, I think the piece could have been more effective if slightly lighter in feel.

Huang Zhiyi
Amazingly mature playing for your age.
Wonderfully performed (and very well-taught) Istmvt of Haydn sonata.
Very strong Liszt, more subtle colors would make it even better. Excellent Mendelssohn, especially the fast part. It is impossible to underappreciate your pianistic prowess for your age in Gnomenreigen. However, in your whole program and especially in Liszt I would like to encourage you to look for more funny stuff, fresher imagery. Maybe you practice so much that there is no time to watch cartoons?! Terrible thought… Everyone in your age needs cartoons, needs to be inspired by many of them.

Gnomenreigen and the slow part of Mendelssohn went by without touching my heart – alerting feeling when you watch a 9 years old wunderkind and expect to be amazed with anything she does. Zhiyi, your daily life is a very important source of musical inspiration – learn from it. You are a wonderfully talented child, and your maturity already suggests a more inspiring listening experience, something allowing your listeners to remember your playing for long time, something unique. I know, it is a lot to ask a 9 years old – but with your huge talent, I am sure, you will find your true musical identity. I am impressed with you, Zhiyi – hope to see your name on big posters soon!

Huang Zhiyi
Extraordinarily impressive playing.  Haydn’s ‘English’ sonata immediately showed energy, sparkle and excellent articulation.  Rhythm needed a little  more poise and control.  The chosen tempo was perhaps a little too fast in order to really allow sufficient time and space for all of the articulation and character to emerge from the music, but there was still an impressive range of sounds and contrasts to admire.  Overall the wit and humour was rather eclipsed- in place we had characterisation that was almost agitated and fearful.  More humanity and relaxed spaciousness would certainly be good to aim for now in an interpretation that emerged here as too angst-ridden and frenetic.

Clarity and focus of finger work were extraordinary in Liszt’s ‘Gnomenreigen’, a performance that was phenomenally secure, accurate and intense.  The next stage would be to cultivate much more leggiero at all dynamic levels, and to increase the velocity so that the whole etude dances at a more flowing pace.  There is room for much more variety of colour- at present it is rather monochrome in terms of touch and tone

Mendelssohn’s Andante and Rondo Capriccioso was also extremely secure.  The Andante was too inflexible and rather fearfully agitated in its relentless reluctance to embrace flexibility, gentle rubato and wistful poetry.  The rondo showed finger work emerging from the piano like bullets from a shotgun- extremely accurate and steely pianism.  Next stage would be to develop the touch into a lighter aesthetic, with excitement emerging within a quieter and lighter tonal range.  Physically there is a lot of movement in the performance- which would greatly benefit from a calmer, less accented and less intense and unyielding overall approach.  There were a number of small errors today, but these remained unimportant.  An exceptional recital.

Huang Zhiyi
Haydn Sonata in C major –very well played, good character and control. occasionally there is an element of impatience and slight rushing and unevenness.

Liszt Gnomenreigen – very descriptive, some rhythmic inaccuracies, more than very impressive for this young age!

Mendelssohn Rondo capriccioso – very expressive and musical! light and crisp - great potential!!

Huang Zhiyi
Haydn Sonata in C Major, Hob XVI/50, Mvt 1
The performance was very secure, bright and there was good dynamics. Technical control was very good.
Liszt Concert Etude “Gnomenreigen”
There was a very well chosen tempo and the character was very lively and the climaxes were most impressive.
Mendelssohn Rondo Capriccioso Op 14
The Andante was well handled. The Capriccioso was very lively but with great control. There was a very good technique in a number of different aspects. The character of this piece was very well projected.

Huang Zhiyi
Haydn Sonata, It is delicate and articulated playing, with a stylish interpretation. I like the fact that the tempo is well controlled so the light hearted charm of Haydn is very evident.
Liszt Gnomenreigen, It is very steady and clean with clear finger work in the runs. You showed a very strong technical command of the piece. My only suggestion is to make this concert etude sound less like an etude, and more like a concert piece. Even at such a young age, you could try to make this more like a dance using lighter touch and accents that are less forced. Nonetheless, quite accomplished for some one so young.
Mendelssohn Rondo Capriccioso: The introduction has nice phrasing with rubato. Very sensitive indeed. Rondo has wonderful control. It is technically very sound with good range and contrasts. If it could be a little less driven, the music could then flow in more natural fashion, and thus become more enjoyable. Sometimes, less IS more.

Li Ying
Haydn: Sonata in E major, XVI/31
This is one of the most beautiful sonatas of Haydn very much appropriately written in the angelic key of E major. You are an extremely competent pianist and produce a very skilled performance. Haydn trusted that performers of his works would be familiar with rules of interpretation as he besides the tempo indication of “Moderato” did not indicate any dynamic and only a few articulation markings in his score. Allowing considerable leeway to the interpreter, Haydn requires from us a greater creative contribution to make his music come alive. This is the case with this E major Sonata. You need to find ways to shape and articulate passages especially when they are repeated, rests are often signs for breathing, often think of other instruments to color your imagination and try to find the most natural phrasing possible. At the same time one must find the appropriate way of “singing”, which in many ways imitated opera of the day. But arias in these operas clearly leaned towards the clarity of speech. You have learnt the notes well, but communicating their meaning will take you on a longer journey of discovery.

Liszt: Concert Etude “Un Sospiro”
It is admirable how you conquered the basic demands of this étude which is a study in crossing hands, playing a simple melody with alternating hands accompanied by extended arpeggios. Further, you control the melodic line extremely well not allowing for unnecessary accents that could occur when the hands are crossing each other at a certain speed. For me you present an overly dramatic picture. Liszt during his lifetime only mentioned this work as study in D-flat, but somehow the subtitle “Un Sospiro” was attached – the meaning in Italian is "a sigh”.  The simple melody is presented in different ways and you should explore the changing colors, often more impressionistic than just romantic, due to these variations. There is only one climax immediately after the theme is presented twice and the coda should move the ending into the distance. Try to revise your thoughts guided by the concept of the study, to make the arpeggios light and even, while shaping the ascending melody in a varied way. Of course there are numerous romantic moments that you can take advantage of and make it quite personal.

Albéniz: “Triana” from Iberia
Your program continues with a remarkable flow from Liszt to Albéniz. Iberia, after all, is a synthesis of several music styles, including the sophisticated compositional techniques that Albéniz learned in Paris, and the virtuosic piano writing he inherited from Liszt. “Triana” is the third piece of the second book of this monumental work that draws inspiration from Andalusian folk music achieving a stylization of Spanish traditional idioms. You have a wonderful flair for this music, you give an appealing impression of spontaneous improvisation. “Triana” is named after the famous Gypsy quarter of Seville and you seem to transport us into that atmosphere from the first note. There are two principle themes, the first is a two step dance the second is in triple meter in which Albéniz imitates the sound of castanets and heelwork of the dancers.  You have a natural ability of bringing all the elements of a strong “nationalistic” performance with some tender moments of reflection. I especially liked your treatment of the difficult passages when the two principal themes are brilliantly transformed and contrapuntally combined.  You really produced a wonderful performance.

Li Ying, you are a very talented pianist and have a natural way of playing the instrument. I wish you well for the future which should be very bright for you in the world of music.

Li Ying
Haydn Sonata Hob. XVI/31, 1st movement  
Very good and balanced performance. Full of character and very elegant. You might want to think of slightly different colors and phrase shapes according with your musical intentions. Sometimes I found your choices slightly predictable.
Liszt UnSospiro
Very convincing and strong performance.  I missed some harmonic warmth throughout the piece. All these arpeggios should also create the harmonic context the piece is set in, and we should not hear just all the various notes.  Be careful not to create any gaps when you change pedals. Sometimes you break the line because of pedal changes.
Albeniz Triana
Very spirited and clear rendition of Triana. Sometimes the rhythm can be stronger and more held. Also careful with pedal changes, as they sometimes break the melodic lines. Also try to explore darker sounds. Clarity is very important, but now you can try to find darker hues which will make the brighter colors sound even brighter.

Li Ying
Quite nicely done Haydn. Usually I don’t pay critical attention to one or two missed notes, but in music like Haydn or Scarlatti, where everything is so exposed, clarity it very important. Generally I liked sensitivity of your sound but I missed very much the humor and rhythmical flexibility in Haydn. Due to restrictions in sound diversity in keyboard instruments, it was very common to use flexibility in time as a major expressing tool during Haydn’s era. Your playing was rhythmically not very creative.

Very beautiful, full, rich sound in the beginning of Liszt. While holding the big D flat octave in the right hand, make sure, that music does not lose the energy – don’t hold it too long. Another weak spot was the long fast, going down passage (in 6), which should have been much more passionate, not poetic. Still, Liszt impressed me with the full-scale playing and so did “Triana”.

You seem to feel much more “at home” in expressive music rather in meticulously detailed pieces like Haydn. I will look forward to hearing your Rachmaninoff’s Third Concerto soon! But you also need to develop your feel of style and sophistication of earlier music: Soler, Scarlatti, Haydn. Good luck.

Li Ying
The Haydn E major sonata was played with confidence and assertive brilliance.  There is room now for much more subtlety and sensitivity.  Accents need to be refined and listened to much more carefully.  The left hand in particular was rather unrefined.  More effort to cultivate a beautiful tone in the forte passages would be welcome.   Some of the rhythms and note values (longer notes and rests too) were clipped and need revision by way of simple counting in the practice studio.  It was all a little too hurried and lacking in poetry today.  The climax of the development was out of proportion to the overall dynamic range.  Phrase endings needed to be listened to more carefully in order to avoid accents. Some small slips.  It was all a little too hurried- a slower tempo would afford much more room for expression and imagination. Try beginning trills on the upper note rather than on the main note
Liszt’s ‘Un sospiro’ showed happier pianism and a more authoritative sense of style.  Good control at a suitable tempo.  However it was all rather direct and lacking in the requisite sotto voce and subdued mystery.  Much more reserve and concentrated wonder would be needed to really allow the music to float off the page.  Many of the runs were too ‘brilliante’ and sparking- more imaginative use of pedals and more cultivated touch control would be necessary in order to let the music come alive in the magical way that it can do.  More exploration of texture and colour would help enormously.

Albeniz’s ‘Triana’ had brilliance and percussive confidence, but did not evoke the mysterious, haunting and melancholic spell-binding atmosphere of Albeniz’s evocation of Spain.   Much more sensitivity and searching in terms of phrasing, voicing and pedalling would be necessary in order to really get inside this magical style and recreate the extraordinary sonic palette that is Albeniz’s incomparable ‘Iberia’.

Li Ying
Haydn Sonata – a bit vertical and heavy. this piece could be (and should be) lots more charming and humorous.

Liszt Un sospiro–well played. the name of the piece has something to do with breathing – it could breathe much more. try to form longer lines from single melodic notes.

Albeniz Triana – very well played! some of the rhythms and harmonies should have morespecificity and flavor (Gypsy, Spanish flavor) In general needs more charm, more variety of textures and more contrasts.

Li Ying
Haydn Sonata Hob XVI/31, Mvt 1
There was considerable amount of body movement that was somewhat intrusive.  The contrasts in dynamics were rather exaggerated and the pedalling needed further attention in order that the work had clarity.
Liszt Concert Etude “Un Sospiro”
The melodic notes needed to be more projected and the phrases given further attention to shaping rather than the melody sounding like single notes. It gradually became better as it progressed.
Albeniz Iberia “Triana”
This difficult work was approached with a very well developed technique. The Spanish style overall was very well projected. Well done!

Li Ying
Haydn Sonata, nice and steady tempo with good dynamic contrasts. There is sensitivity in phrasing also. I would like to have a little more rhythmic pulse throughout the movement. The sound could also be a little more articulated. But more importantly, is to have a good singing legato, perhaps a singing voice inside. So the melodic lines flow out of the heart and therefore, are never dry.
Liszt Sospiro, the phrasing is quite natural and flowing. Perhaps a little more direction might help the phrases become more interesting. As is, they sound a little dry to me, especially in the loud parts. A better use of the pedal could also help. The runs could be cleaner also.
Albeniz Triana, well played. I especially enjoy the middle section. There you brought out more of the Spanish flair.  The outer parts, I'd like to hear stronger rhythm to feel more intensity from the music

Liu Jiangli
Beethoven: Sonata No. 10 in G major, Op. 14 No.2 (First movement)
You perform! You have something to say and without any pretenses you state your feelings. I like the fresh approach you have to the Sonata. Obviously you have the technique and only in a few spots, for example the right hand’s evenness in the development section that I could request for more control. You should notice more that the first theme starts on the upbeat while the second subject is all on the down beat. You pay attention most of the time to articulation but not to equally important “sf” markings of Beethoven. I am also hoping that with time you will develop your ears to make more contrasts not only between just loud and soft but also within the different pianos and fortes. This idea of contrasts is also important concerning characters that each theme represents. Use more cantabile touch as Beethoven often mentions that singing is indispensable and the  melodies of this movement lend themselves to the human voice.

Chopin: Rondo in C minor, Op.1
To some critics Chopin’s Op.1 was his weakest work, imitating composers like Weber and Hummel. While others maintain that it has a natural air which is free from affected profundity. The general aesthetic at the time was not particularly deep or profound — it was more about varied and pretty effects, called “style brillant”. However, behind the juvenile brilliance the work suggests, though vaguely, the presence of a future bright individuality!  We can hear Chopin’s attempt to give the passagework melodious contents, exquisite ornamentation, and most importantly breathing a new poetic lyricism usual absent from such works by his contemporaries. Of interest also his use of new thematic materials and a brave development of the tonal plan - C minor – E major – A-flat major – D-flat major - C minor.
I am stating all this to create an interest in you to be inspired by the work. Your performance is monochrome, same tempo throughout and certainly you do not react to all the possible nuances present in the score. Chopin’s melodies demand different response from us, take time also to react to the different keys. This music requires freedom of pulse much like improvisation. I hope you will try it as I am sure it will lead to a much more satisfying result.

Liszt: Concert Etude “Gnomenreigen”
You certainly display a very impressive technical ability. You fast passages are mostly clear and bring out a genuine enthusiastic spirit that is the essence of the work. However, ability does not always equal success. Although not originally called “The dance of gnomes”, Liszt never objected to the subtitle and in fact encouraged it with his students in order to enhance their imagination. Any type of dance needs controlled tempo and rhythm. Your performance lacked any plan especially as Liszt indicates that after the two initial repeated sections, the tempo has to gather momentum to the very end. Liszt uses tempo relationship much more than other composers and as performers it is our duty to bring to life the best possible way his inspiration.

Liu Jiangli, you are an excellent student, very strong minded and full of individual ideas. Never forget that we, performers are the servants of the composers, we must always find a way to represent them to the best of our ability.

Liu Jiangli
Beethoven Sonata op. 14 no. 2, 1st movement
Very fluid and natural. Good attention to details and character. However I think contrasts can be much more evident, not only in character, but also in sound quality. Also be very careful to always sustain the melodic lines and not to let them run mechanically .
Chopin Rondo
The performance although very good, could probably benefit from some more breath, time and contrasts in between the various phrases.  Commendable clarity but It’s very important here to use your or this piece can feel a bit monotonous.
Liszt Gnomenreigen
A little too breathless. It needs a little more time and lightness to come alive. Try to look at smaller details and give them more meaning in your overall conception of this piece. 

Liu Jiangli
Excellent Beethoven, good, effortless technique.

Repeated chords in the left hand of “Gnomenreigen” need to project– you need to use your whole lower arm to make it work, not only wrist.

You can breath more freely in Beethoven sonata: right before the second themes, before the repeat of the exposition, before the recapitulation (both false and real) and in e few more places. It will help to form shape of the piece. This criticism is effective for the rest of your program.

Music should create a magical world, which exists in your imagination. You are the one, who builds this world. You constantly need to infuse it with your images, experiences from your life, dreams,and thoughts. Musical events taking place in pieces you playrequire your close and direct attention. They need to trigger your emotional, aesthetic and imaginational senses. I did not sense enough of it in your playing. The whole reason to be a performing artist is the desire to share those worlds with your listeners. With your wonderful talent you are expected to do just this. I wish you good luck.

Liu Jiangli
The Beethoven op. 14 G major Sonata showed beautiful tone and focus. It could afford more spaciousness and poetry at a slightly slower speed.  A lighter tonal approach would allow the music to become even more characterful and arresting.  Chopin’s op. 1 Rondo was played with freshness and commitment.  Ornamentation tended to be rather relentless and lacking in spaciousness.  Indeed, as in the Beethoven, a little more expansiveness and time would make the phrasing much more expressive and convincing.  Longer, more sustained and large scaled phrasing would be very useful overall, and make the whole performance rise significantly in stature.  Lots of characterisation and contrasts in tone and colour.
Liszt’s ‘Gnomenreigen’ needed more clarity and more velocity.  There was a rather laboured and approximate approach here, with grace notes (acciaccaturas) lacking clarity in particular.  More care and precision technically would be necessary in order to make the performance rise in stature.  Promising musical playing, but as yet with some way to go technically in order to reach authority.

Liu Jiangli
Beethoven Sonata Op.14 no.2 – very nice and upbeat.the phrase structure is somewhat square. each and every beat does not need to be the same - some variety would make the performance more successful.

Chopin Rondo – too many down beats, in fact, almost nothing sounds “up”. youcould differentiate more between the melodies and accompaniment.

Liszt Gnomenreigen – a few misreadings in the beginning. needs to be much more charming and light. left hand chords do not yet work.

Very good “healthy” sound. However, the sound was almost the same for all three works.

Liu Jiangli
Beethoven Sonata Opus 14 No 2, Mvt. I
Technical aspects were very good and there was a very nice feeling of the style of this work but there needed to be more careful attention to the phrasing in this work. There needs to be further attention to pedaling and details to the dynamics in this work.
Chopin Rondo in c minor Op 1 
A very good tempo was chosen and the dynamic range was appropriate for this work.
Liszt Concert Etude “Gnomenreigen”
A good tempo was chosen but there needed to be further consideration of the pedalling and also closer attention to the indications of the dynamics.

Liu Jiangli
Beethoven Sonata Op. 14, elegant, singing sound. I like your phrases which for the most part are not hurried, and have a natural flow. Sometimes though, a stronger rhythmic sense or vertical lines are also needed in a Beethoven sonata. This is quite evident in the development section of this movement. There, a strong rhythmic pulse would give music much more intensity, something I'd like to see more of in your playing.
Chopin Rondo, a piece published when Chopin was only 15, perhaps not yet one of his mature works. Here again, your sound is very elegant and articulate. The phrases have good flow and directions.
Liszt Gnomenreigen.  Here it sounds hurried and lacks rhythmic pulse. So the music sounded nervous and chaotic instead of the music of a dance. The rushed tempo also squeezed the runs together so the clarity suffered. Overall a very musical performance, a little more rhythmic pulse would give your music more intensity and character.

Liu Pinxin
Liszt: Concert Etude “Waldesrauschen”
Excellent control of all the technical difficulties and beautiful display of colors. Your delicate playing of the accompaniment set the mood for the whole work. You should aim for longer phrases in the melodic line as this paints an image of an expansive picture. This is also the case when the right hand takes over the melody line. With lot more experience you will get to know how Liszt uses dynamics as he builds his structure. Make the “agitato” and “crescendo” meaningful as you lead to the climax of the piece. And then keep the tension displaying the turbulent side of the theme. Bring out the lower part of the octave (the thumb) as this would allow a deeper more resonating sound that the subject needs at this point. And again in the coda make the phrases longer, in fact try to make the coda simply one long phrase. The smoother it sounds the more it resembles the title of the étude.

Beethoven: Sonata No.3 in C major, Op.2 No.3
You give a very competent and comfortable performance of this Sonata. But Beethoven is not a watercolorist, he is a large sculptor often with rough edges. The precise articulation of the first subject clearly demonstrates how a string quartet would bow it and certainly would have to be taken a slower tempo. You need to understand the humor that is inherent in the music.  Do not forget, rests are at times more important than actual notes and here Beethoven stresses silence to achieve the question, perhaps hesitation that gives the theme such a character. You must bring out much more contrast between the solo instruments (like a string quartet) and the whole orchestra. This occurs right throughout the movement. Make much more effort to orchestrate, think which instruments would play the melody and accompaniment. There many accents, the roughness that is so appealing of Beethoven’s music, unfortunately you smooth these out. It is most unusual to have a cadenza in a piano sonata of the period, but here Beethoven has two – one in the development section in which he moves from B-flat major to D major and the other one is just before the coda. Play these with an individual approach. Make this sonata a big event in a similar way how Beethoven wanted his listeners to experience.

Chopin: Scherzo in B-flat minor, Op.31
Obviously this repertoire is more suited to your present development as a musician. I enjoyed your performance, it has freshness and a direct approach that I admire. And further you have a well developed technique to handle all the difficulties posed by this work. You need to communicate the structure of the scherzo, that it is based on groups of four measures. How Chopin changes the emphasis within this group is the magic behind really successful performances. When asked about the introduction, Chopin said “it is a question”, make your first sounds much more subtle. Look carefully the flexibility of dynamics built in the main theme, Chopin is extremely detailed in his instructions. In the middle “sostenuto” section you have far too many different tempos, again Chopin clearly does not want fast, hurried passage work, he wants everything to be melodious, and full of surprises.  Be mindful how you use the pedal all the time, but especially in the Coda and constantly keep in mind that clarity is essential for beautiful sound which is the essence of Chopin’s compositions.

Liu Pinxin, you are wonderful performer and have potential for making music your future. Keep working on understanding and communicating the essence of music that you are playing.

Liu Pinxin
Liszt Waldesrauschen
Very clear and solid performance. Very impressive in bigger sections, but I think it could be slightly more intimate in character is softer parts. Also be careful to always play long lines when the melody is in octaves and do not break the line  when you are playing loud.
Beethoven Sonata op. 2 no. 3, 1st movement
Great character to start with but lyrical material needs more contrast, not only in sound but also in direction and agogic. Development section could have been more convincing and bolder. In my opinion it also needs more different characters throughout.
Chopin Scherzo op. 31
Very strong rendition of the Scherzo.Careful with the voicing of chords in Forte passages. Not all the notes in the chord need the same strength, or the sound will be a bit harsh. Some beautiful moments in the middle section, but be careful not to make it sound too agitated at any point. Keep this section calmer than the outer ones.

Liu Pinxin
Very fluid playing in Liszt. The melody notes in the left hand should be more cared for and phrased more gently. I think you play too fast, which makes music less interesting than it is. We need more colors and sometimes it takes a little extra time to create them. Don’t start the “forest storm”: episode as loud, instead create bigger, longer and very consistent crescendo, which is always a powerful tool.

Strong Beethoven. You are a very powerful performer, which is without a doubt an asset. However, you should use your physical strength a little more sparingly. Each piece in your program along with good solid qualities had some unrefined bulkiness, when your hands just “go for it” and your ears don’t supervise them well enough. I also noticed few incorrectly learned notes in Scherzo and Beethoven. Your playing is very mature in pianistic sense, but your musical sophistication and taste still have a long way to go.

Scherzo for me was the most convincing piece of your program, it felt that you like this piece more than the other ones. Beautiful flying feel in the second theme (melody in right hand, fast “6” accompaniment in left), very beautiful “waltz” in the middle slow episode. But the “Piu mosso” part in E majorwastoo loud, rough, and bulky.  You are already a professional, a very talented and capable performer and I have no doubt that you will be very successful.

Liu Pinxin
Liszt’s ‘Waldestrauschen’ was beautifully fluid and executed with apparent effortless ease.  Phrasing could be even more sensitive and seamless in the melodic contours throughout, and overall the tone could be more subdued and reserved in order to project even more evocation, tenderness andwonder.  Exceptional technical facility and bravura by any standards.

Beethoven’s op 2 C major sonata showed excellent finger work, but from the opening bars much more care was needed to avoid accents and thuds on weak beats and resolutions of dissonances.  But there was no doubting the command and confident authority here.  Solid and sound playing throughout.  What was missing was a sense of wonder and discovery. Phrasing was consistently angular and marred by unnecessarily forced and even at times aggressive accents.  Some triplets were corrupted into quavers followed by semiquavers.   There is much more subtlety and variety of tone in this music.  There is also much more bravura and daringly iconoclastic writing than this approach implied.  Try for much more humour and wit and variety throughout.  This seemed less like music from a youthful revolutionary than it should have.
Chopin’s second scherzo was realised with sparkle, enthusiasm and drive.  Brilliant finger work accompanied by warmth and a real sense of communication.  Rhythmic discipline needed more attention so that a real sense of the music’s four bar construction can remain intact throughout. More leggiero and magic in the quieter playing needs to be cultivated.  Again, as in the Beethoven, triplet rhythms were not always convincing, tending to be corrupted into a totally different rhythm.  The central climax was thrilling and accurate to a large extent, but became rather bland in terms of phrasing and sound- there was nothing unique in the tone to make the music stand out as being specifically by Chopin as opposed to by Liszt or indeed by any other romantic composer.  Much more searching and experimentation in the practice studio could yield far better results.  At the end the sound became overly forced and over-pedalled, with many smudges and wrong notes.  Untidy and rather agitated, unfortunately.

Liu Pinxin
Liszt Waldesrauschen – The title of the piece calls for “whispers” or “murmurs” – it was often too heavy and too aggressive. the long melodic lines should be shaped better, with more elasticity. try to keep the tempo at the climax of the piece. pay more attention to different texures.

Beethoven Sonata Op.2 no.3 – overpedaled in many places. The character could be more playful in the beginning. there are many contrasting sections in this movement – make sure that those differences are clearly communicated.

Chopin Scherzo no. 2 – very well played – the most successful of the three pieces. careful with the pedal, explore more legato in the lyrical passages, more difference between the melodic and accompanying textures.

Liu Pinxin
Liszt Concert Etude “Waldesrauschen” 
Be careful to be sure of the details of the dynamics (pp and ppp) in the first five pages as you were playing them much too loudly. There was a good balance between the two hands. The ending was very good.
Beethoven Sonata Opus 2 No 3, Mvt 1
The opening tempo was well chosen but there needed to be further attention to the pedalling and the end of phrases as they were rather forced which prevented the work from flowing smoothly.
Chopin Scherzo Opus 31
There could be further attention to the balance of the two hands in this work. Well developed technique was evident in the second part of the work.

Liu Pinxin
Liszt Waldesrauschen, sensitive playing with solid technique. Phrases need more directions to avoid being dry. Also, there could be contrasts in color and character between melodic lines that are in the middle or low register and the ones in high register. So they don't always sound the same.
Beethoven Sonata, nice and steady tempo. Good technical command. However, it needs a legato sound. Phrases are dry and sound the same. There are many parts, such as the 2nd theme, that require a singing tone. You still need to find yours. Also, you could read the score more carefully, there are dynamic marks that are not observed, sf written for one hand played by both etc..
Chopin Scherzo, good and solid performance. Fingers are quite strong and there is sensitivity and some intensity in this piece. I still find the phrasing quite flat. Sometimes the sound gets harsh in loud parts. The middle section is played with certain changes of color. But there should be more. Also, the voicing is not done quite right.
Overall a solid performance. If you develop a singing sound and good sense of phrasing, your music will be more beautiful and interesting.

Liu Tianyuan
Liszt: Concert Etude “Waldesrauschen”
You are a very talented pianist who has vision for a large picture. You obviously reason carefully and present your ideas with some good results. This étude was written by the mature Liszt, not the young virtuoso who wanted to become the Paganini of piano. The twist and turns of the melody is by a very seasoned composer and I very much enjoyed your interpretation and understanding of the melody line. However, although Liszt called this “tone poem” an étude and we have discover the reasons for this. The evenness of the right hand which is then passed down to the left hand demands a subtle approach that allows freedom of the melody while creating the illusion that the accompaniment is constant. Too many times your accompaniment drew my attention away from the melody because of its uneven treatment. Unfortunately you did not control the octaves and leaps leading to the last cadenza and in fact the long trill and the descending following passage were very unsatisfying. Further, make a conscious effort to differentiate between the level of “fortes” and pianos”, this is important if you want to communicate the subtle colors of this piece that is about nature.

Mozart: Sonata in B-flat major, KV 281 (Allegro - First Movement)
I very much like your natural approach to Mozart, who is one of the most difficult composers to perform. What becomes immediately apparent is that you seem to understand the importance of silence – what happens before and after. This takes quite a great deal of maturity. You balance between the melodic line and accompaniment is also excellent. It is not simply just loud or soft as Mozart wanted us to hear the wonderful harmonic changes given to the accompaniment. Where you could do more is the clarity of the articulation as this together with the dynamic changes constitutes the most important way we manage different colors and maintain interest throughout the work. You performed the modulations in the development section with understanding and I like how you prepared the recapitulation. One last point, be utmost careful how you pedal, while I endorse lots of small color pedal, you should not pedal ornaments.

Schedrin: Two Polyphonic pieces
You perform these pieces with authority and great conviction. You bring out wonderful colors, a wide variety of dynamic levels and you make it all sound natural.
1. The phrasing is excellent and the constancy of the pulse makes us listen intensely. The staccatos should be consistent and both hands must be the same length. While I realize that your aim is to present two different voices the nature of their melodies allows them to be equally important.  You should experiment as the result could be quite satisfying.
2. The ostinato must be phrased constantly and bring out its contour. I very much like the way you create an atmosphere of improvisation. Together with the clear insisting pulse you manage to produce tension and complete surprises.

Liu Tianyuan, I enjoyed your performance very much and wish you all the very best for your future.

Liu Tianyuan
Liszt Waldesrauschen
Very natural and straightforward phrasing, clear tone. I think you could be a little more flexible and free. Also the softer sections can be more whimsical and quieter for contrasts.
Mozart KV 281, 1st movement
Nice character. Good attention to detail and refined playing. As in the Liszt I think you could be freer and breathe more between phrases to avoid the piece from sounding predictable.
Schedrin Two polyphonic pieces
Great character, convincing and menacing.Great rhythm and dynamic contrasts. It could use a bit more tension and time in the most dramatic sections.

Liu Tianyuan
Very determined and compact Liszt Etude. Perhaps, too compact-sometimes I wished for little more liberal use of time for more gentle breathing. However I liked very much your emotional approach to the piece. The Climax, although too stressed was very passionate and exciting.

Mozart also displayed many important qualities such as independence of hands, good, but conservative taste, I expect to have associations with the opera or theatre: each new musical massage can be translated in performance of actors/singers. Usually it's a comical opera with a little magical touch-think Magic Flute.

Great Schedrin! For even more of an obscure feel of the first piece, I would recommend playing both times the fast, going down passages in the right hand much softer. Fantastic rhythm in Basso ostinato. It was one of the best performances of this piece I have ever heard.

Liu Tianyuan
Liszt’s ‘Waldestrauschen’ showed subtlety of phrasing and delicate, exquisite sounds in the shimmering right hand double note figurations.  The rubato was natural, subtle and sensitively judged. A huge and exciting climax, made all the more impressive because of the quiet dynamics at the beginning.  Just be careful to sustain  the highest level of control in tone and pulse at the climax.
Mozart’s B flat sonata K281 showed lots of admirable contrasts and ideas. |Try for a little more serenity and poise in order to be completely convincing.  At times the left hand needed a little more lightness.  There was an appropriate orchestral sense of drama to the performance as a whole, along with an impressive range of dynamics.   Keep your neck relaxed.  A slightly lower stool position could make you play with even greater ease, allowing your sounds to lift up out of the piano.
Shchedrin: The F minor 2 Part invention was played with confidence and rhythmic control.  There could be even more charm and humour- especially with regard to the subsidiary voice throughout.  Experiment a little more with touch.  Bring out the jazz-inspired quality of the music.  Basso ostinato had real vibrancy, authority, conviction and intensity.  Excellent variety of sound and rhythmic control.  Bravo! A wonderful achievement.  Overall admirable contrasts of approach between the three styles of music presented.  Many laudable and ‘unteachable’ qualities in the playing that brought a most welcome freshness and creative spirit to the music.

Liu Tianyuan
Liszt Waldesrauschen - beautiful long lines! do not get too excited - you lose control. let the music speak effortlessly. you have very nice “p”, “f” are a bit harsh.

Mozart – very elegant! good sense of structure.

Schedrin – very well played, good rhythm and drive. while maintaining your own excitement about the music, try to keep everything under more control, especially in louder sections.

very impressive playing!work on being more accurate.great potential!

Liu Tianyuan
Liszt Concert Etude “Waldesrauschen” 
Watch the dynamics (pp and ppp) in the first five pages – they are not mf. There was a very good security about the playing and the balance between the hands was very good.
Mozart Sonata K281, Mvt.1
This was a very good contrast to the first work. There was quite a good feeling for the style but there were some exaggerations which detracted from the performance.
Schedrin Two polyphonic pieces
The performance was very confident and was a good contrast to the other works. The work had rhythmic drive and played with a good dynamic range.

Liu Tianyuan
Liszt Waldesrauschen, very sensitive playing with a good sense of phrasing. I like the fact your phrases have directions, so they flow naturally. There is also energy and passion in the playing. You also have a good ear for sound. It can be loud, but not harsh.
Mozart Sonata, played with a beautiful singing sound. I also found it to be very imaginative and stylish. You seemed to be very focused. And there is intensity also.
Schwerin Two polyphonic pieces, very articulated sound with clear voicing. It also shows strong rhythmic intensity.
Overall a very enjoyable performance.

Lu Xingyu
Liszt: Concert Etude “Gnomenreigen”
This is an excellent vehicle for your well formed technique. You control the tempo and at the same time bring out the contour of the melody. Also the repeated notes in the left hand seem to be not so problematic for you. There are two areas where you need to make an effort to improve – firstly, try to bring out greater differences between the dynamic levels. More than half of the work is “p” and “pp” and there must be a difference between A major and B-flat major and later F-sharp major. Also try to make this section much lighter and transparent.  Secondly, look carefully how Liszt clearly divides the piece into two halves, the first section is a repetition of the two main ideas and then there is a gradual quickening of the tempo to the very end. If you can manage to incorporate these two ideas into your performance, you will create a wonderful satisfying experience.

Mozart: Sonata in B-flat major, KV 281 (Allegro - First Movement)
Overall I like your performance of this extremely delicate and personal sonata movement. It is personal due to the special way he treats the accompaniment with its subtle changes and forward motions that create the sense of building tension – which of course is then released in with much needed cadences. You do capture often this forward motion, especially noticeably in the development section, however at the same time you need to bring out just as much the rhythmic pulse that relies on a variety of activities – notice how often the right hand is off the beat, or starts the melody leading to the second beat of the measure. By bringing these out, you create a wonderful feeling of enthusiasm of propulsion which allows the movement to sound “Allegro”. At the moment you are pulsating in 4 beats in a measure, try to make it 2 as indicated by Mozart and make it still sound natural.

Prokofiev: Sarcasms, Op.17
This is excellent repertoire for you with many challenges. At the moment you follow the score as written by Prokofiev and for this I congratulate you. Eventually you will find a great deal of depth that allows us to hear the music from different angles. What you need to do is to find different characteristics of human nature and portray these through music. You need to exaggerate everything, the percussive elements in the first piece which you do well must be contrasted more with the extraordinarily lyrical contrapuntal theme. The second piece starts in a contemplative mood and the theme should be played in a casual manner. This continues even though it gets louder, never forgetting the instruction at the beginning – “rubato”. The intense rush of energy in the third piece starts well, you should be also aware of the contrapuntal melodies opposing the percussive character. The middle section is only a momentary relief but here you could be more lyrical. The forth movement titled "Smanioso" (Frenzied) has an improvisatory element that again can be divided into two parts with a much more pronounced contrast. The final piece portrays darkness, hopelessness, gloom and anxiety. Your performance does have the makings of something special so continue to explore all the possibilities within the music and communicate them to your listeners.

Lu Xingyu, you are already quite mature for your age and without doubt you will advance to a higher level of quality performance. You need to study a great deal of repertoire as everything enhances your imagination – for example if you listen to Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony or his Second Piano Concerto you will find many moods that coincide with those displayed in the Sarcasms. Keep on working as you are very talent.

Lu Xingyu
Liszt Gnomenreigen
Very crisp, but the left hand is a bit too heavy and makes the whole piece a bit clumsy and not so graceful.
Mozart Sonata KV 281, 1st movement
Be careful not to push the sound too much in the Forte. The faster passages seemed a bit rushed. Every passage, no matter how fast should be sung. The same applies to ornaments. Do not think of them as being fast, but every not is part of the melody.
Sergei Prokofiev “Sarcasms”
Nice dynamic contrasts. Once again, you should be always thinking of sound quality, no matter how loud the composers asks you to play.  Great character and very convincing playing altogether.

Lu Xingyu
Very good finger technique in Liszt. Good left hand too. The whole Piece was played on one breath, it felt like it lasted just a mere moment, which is a compliment. The next challenge is to make it musically more interesting, more diverse. The beginning can be softer suggesting that we are only beginning to see and hear gnomes gathering before the dance. Mozart is fluid and quite competent, but is lacking imagination. It sounded like you haven't found enough personal attachment to this piece. Again, thinking more theatrically will bring this music to live and you will have much more to say in it.

Sarcasms – excellent repertoire choice. Very well played indeed. Like in the "Gnomenreigen", I liked very much the stormy effect in the fast parts of the cycle and great and psychologically intense ending of the last one.

Your piano playing impresses and your musical talents inspire. Let your artistic imagination grow, nurture it and you will be successful.

Lu Xingyu
Liszt ‘Gnomenreigen’ was played with remarkable velocity.  Much more sensitivity and care over sound quality and leggiero in particular was needed.  It was all too forceful and heavy and needed much more charm and delicacy.  It was too forceful to evoke a Gnome-like characterisation.   Extraordinary speed and dexterity in need of more musical focus to bring out the spirit of the music.

Mozart’s B flat sonata first movement was played with technical ease.  It needed more charm and transparency in terms of tone and texture in order to be stylistic and authoritative in a Mozartian sense.   Left hand figurations tended to be too heavy.  Excellent control, but now much more charm and imagination would be very welcome
Prokofiev Sarcasms were played with much more conviction. Excellent rhythm.  There is much more room for colour variety here too, though.  The second movement could be taken slower in order to bring out more of the grotesque characterisation.  No. 3 had a tremendous motoric drive.  Excellent articulation and strength of articulation on the fourth movement again allied with authoritative rhythm.  The personality and idiom of this uncompromising and stubbornly relentless music was extremely well captured.   In the visionary expansiveness at the end of the fourth movement more spaciousness and searching lyricism would be possible.  Control and precision in executing the contrasts was also impressive in the fifth movement, always realised with excellent rhythm.

Lu Xingyu
Liszt Gnomenreigen – brilliant playing.you have great fingers, but if you could find a way to play this piece lighter it would be even more impressive.

Mozart – very well played. you can be free, but try to maintain the pulse throughout the movement –the lyrical second theme does not need to be slower.

Prokofiev – very nice, imaginative playing.good timing and very successful at capturing the mood of each piece.

Lu Xingyu
Liszt Concert Etude “Gnomenreigen”
There were very good contrasts in the dynamics. Technical development was very good enabling an outstanding performance to take place.
Mozart Sonata KV281, Mvt 1
Again there were very good contrasts in the dynamics without exaggerations. The style of the work was very well appreciated and projected.
Sergei Prokofiev “Sarcasms”
This was a very good choice as it enabled many different styles and dynamic ranges. The different characters of each work were very well projected. Well done!

Lu Xingyu
Liszt Gnomenreigen played with energy and excitement. Fast fingers with quite good clarity. I still would like to hear this piece like a light dance. I think your touch is a little on the heavy side. Further, I think a true challenge in an etude such as this is to overcome its technical difficulties and be able to focus one's attention on it's musical expression. With your excellent technique, you should be able to make this piece more expressive with colors, dynamic contrasts, and rhythmic pulse.
Mozart Sonata, played with good control and refinement. I'd like to see more energy in this movement. Also, all the contrasts between f and p, vertical and horizontal lines, delicate and singing voices can be more pronounced.
Prokofiev Sarcasms, played with energy and enthusiasm. It showed that you have a big range both in emotional and technical areas. I might want to have a "cleaner" more focused sound, and a more transparent voicing.

Wang Xiaoxoia
Liszt: Concert Etude “Gnomenreigen”
Although written quite late in Liszt’s life, this 1862 work reflect back to the “Feux follets” published in the études d'exécution transcendante. The display of gnomes frolicking and the suggestion of spirited flights through darting playfulness make this work so very special. Your performance never leaves the ground and has a tendency to be heavy most of the time. You do not help matters with your constant accentuation of the beats and the heaviness of the appoggiaturas. Being an étude, it demands a great deal of technical ability and you seem to be struggling especially when Liszt demands an increase in tempo. In general after the repeat of the two contrasting sections, the tempo has to continually be quickened and leading to the climax when the only time you should reach a full but still fluid sound.

Mozart: Sonata in F major, KV 332
A principal compositional idea of the classical style was to find thematic materials that are of contrasting nature yet maintain the same tempo of a movement. Tempo was needed to unify while the themes were of contrasting nature. This movement is full of virtuosic elements with scales and arpeggios while the second subject totally resembles an operatic aria displaying strong human melancholic emotions. When Mozart writes in the major key, his development sections are usually quite adventurous and he travels to distant keys. These sonorities are so special in this sonata culminating in a melody resembling the second subject but placing it in ? in the right hand and 6/8 in the left hand. You constantly change tempos, often doubling the values of notes thus distorting the flow that is the essence of this finale. Revise your thoughts as you have quite nice sound and could produce a very satisfying ending to this great work.

Chopin: Polonaise in D minor, Op.70 No.1
Although it was published as Op.70, this rarely performed Polonaise is really an early work of Chopin. Probably written when he was still in Poland in 1827, the key to this work is the understanding of his other compositions like the Rondo Op.1 or the Variations brillantes, B-flat major, Op.12. The general aesthetic at the time was not particularly deep or profound — it was more about varied and pretty effects, called “style brillant”. By constantly changing tempos and using extreme “ritardandos” you make this music heavy, lacking delicacy and humor. Simplicity is the key with lots of variety of articulation, dynamic contrast and beautiful left hand accompaniment that supports and makes the music dance. If possible learn some of the early works of Chopin and gain from such experience and then come back and revise your ideas on this jewel of a piece.

Wang Xiaoxoia, you are obviously an excellent student who is working very hard and conscientiously to improve. My main suggestion for you is to hear as much music, not only piano, but opera, symphonies, ballet, songs and chamber music to expand your knowledge. You will always play the piano well, but you need to make a strong effort to communicate the music in a manner that is consistent with our traditional view of historical style.

Wang Xiaoxoia
One of the difficult tasks in this piece is to make it sound lighter. The right hand in general can be much more light and also the left hand. Be also careful to keep the grace note in the opening theme fast and crisp, not heavy.
Mozart Sonata in F major, KV 332, 3rd movement 5+
Very committed performance. However your attention to detail sometimes makes the piece sound too heavy and breaks the flow. Also, I think you can explore softer dynamics throughout the movement. You do not need to play loudly to achieve the energy level you want to achieve. Remember also that even faster passages in Mozart should sound melodic.
Chopin Polonaise in d minor 7-
Very convincing and passionate performance. My only comment is that often I missed the Polonaise rhythm, and therefore the piece sounds too heavy and a little too labored.

Wang Xiaoxoia
Liszt was played on good artistic level but felt a little too heavy. I do not mean slow tempo, but the sound was too bulky and a little clumsy. A more elegant feel would cheer up the piece.

Mozart was nice too. A few technical shortcomings deserve to be brought up: when musical texture switches from fast (thirty seconds or sixteenths) to slow (eighths or quarters) we tend to slow it down even further; the same thing in reverse: the texture changes from slow to fast and we rush it much more than we need. It happened with your playing almost each time texture rhythmically changes in the Finale of KV 332. Simply be aware of this phenomenon and resist it. Also you need to be able to operate your hands independently: often your left hand goes out of rhythm (middle of the first page).

I think your Chopin was the best piece of the program. Lately one doesn't hear this polonaise often. It was refreshing to hear it. Still there were some signs of heaviness in the episodes.

Wang Xiaoxoia
Liszt’s ‘Gnomenreigen’ lacked real clarity, focus, detail and precision.  It needed more fluency, fluidity and a less heavy touch.  Dynamics were underplayed.   The final section in particular was too heavy, laboured and lacking in delicacy and grace. 
Mozart’s F major sonata finale K332 showed clear articulation but tended to change tempo and lack a sense of fluidity.  The music did not lift itself sufficiently off the page and needed to dance much more fluently and lightly throughout.   Overall there was a need for more cantabile.  Accentuation tended to get in the way of lyrical phrasing and so underplay the- essential- vocal- quality of this wonderful music.
Chopin’s rarely performed D minor Polonaise was played with commitment and obvious enjoyment.  Lots of colours and contrasts, but a sense of the requisite Polonaise rhythm was lacking.  There was a need for greater consistency and more rhythmic sweep. At times it was difficult to be aware of the rhythmic hierarchy, especially in the central sections.   The rubato needed to fit in with greater logic to the overall phrase structure of the piece as a whole.

Wang Xiaoxoia
Liszt Gnomenreigen – a bit too slow and heavy at times. nice touches of pedal, but be careful not to over use it.

Mozart – keep the flow throughout the movement. too many individual vertical impulses on every single dotted quarter note – get through the measure and make sure that all passages are melodic.in general try to look for more instrumental qualities in the sound.

Chopin – many lovely moments. it seems that you are able to connect better with this music. much of the piece sounded predictable – you tend to stop as you approach the end of almost every phrase. very nice sound in general -still, needs more rhythmic and tonal refinement.

very enjoyable playing!

Wang Xiaoxoia
Liszt Concert Etude “Gnomenreigen”
There were exciting climaxes and very pleasing technical control.  There was also very good range of dynamics.
Mozart Sonata in F Major, KV332, Movt III
The tempo chosen was most appropriate and with very well developed technical control. This allowed for a very bright performance.
Chopin Polonaise in d minor, OP 71 No 1
The performance showed quite good attention to the details in the score as well as the style of the work. There could be a greater vitality in the performance in the work.

Wang Xiaoxoia
Liszt Gnomenreigen, played in a controlled tempo with good clarity. I feel the touch is a little heavy and the grace notes little sluggish. I also would like to see the 8th notes have more of a bouncing rhythm to give the music more of a dance feeling.
Mozart sonata,focused and intense playing. Quite solid technically. However, I think this music is more playful, and the sound more singing. Like Chopin, Mozart requires all the running notes to be singing also. And I think that is one of the hardest things to do. The tempo can be steadier also.
Chopin Polonaise, the theme is played with sensitive and imaginative sound. Unfortunately, the sound and phrasing got little rough and harsh as the music unfolded. And therefore, it became less interesting.

Wang Yiqun
Haydn: Sonata in D major, Hob.XVI/24
This very special sonata, dedicated to Nikolaus Esterházy with three contrasting movements is unfortunately seldom performed. Your performance of the first movement has freshness and energy. I very much like your tempo that has a natural sweep of the whole movement. But there is something missing; Haydn relied considerably on the performer’s personal creative talent and he trusted that players would understand the style as well as the spirit of his compositions. In most “urtext” editions of this sonata there are no dynamic or articulation marks, but this means an invitation for your creative ideas. Generally sonatas written in the major key lend themselves to more dramatic contrasting sections in the minor keys and wonderfully adventurous modulations. You should make your phrasing clearer like sentences in conversations and explore the wonderful way for rhythmic variety Haydn changes often to 6/8 from ? or uses hemiola.
While you have a wonderful sound for Haydn you should try to make it more interesting, surprising and ultimately personal.

Liszt: Concert Etude “La Leggierezza”
There are many good points to your performance of this étude. Based on a single melodic idea,
you make it sound like a continuous improvisation. The initial cadenza like introduction is paced well and moves well into the theme which is later becomes more and more polyphonic in nature. This Liszt work is quite close in spirit and atmosphere to some of Chopin’s Impromptus and at times you could make it lighter and transparent as suggested by the title “lightness”. The two climaxes are well balanced and show your understanding of the work’s structure. Another way you could improve your performance is to aim for simplicity, at times you are exaggerate the melodic contour. However you control extremely well the left hand melodic line with the right hand double thirds and in fact after that your performance improves significantly. The work’s conclusion is well performed with sincere elegance and suitable effortlessness. 

Brahms: Scherzo in E-flat minor, Op.4
Excellent choice of repertoire for you, this is a very effective concert work, full of youthful energy and contrasts. The basic structure of two intervening Trios in E-flat major and B major, leading from and to the main Scherzo theme. I am sure you also realize how much this resembles the Scherzo No.2 in B-flat minor, Op.31 of Chopin.
Your best effort is in the main scherzo section where your strength and vitality clearly shows. Perhaps feeling the long lines would extend the phrases, stretching Brahms is always the best approach. Your sound could also be deeper, try to stay in the piano and move downwards instead of upwards. But on the whole, your approach of this section was satisfying. Less so the two Trios; in the first trio use the rests for breathing, yet make longer phrases, make an effort to show the difference between “espressivo”, “dolce” and “teneramente”, obviously Brahms tried to convey different sounds and expression. The second trio needs more attention from you regarding balance between accompanying left hand and melodic right hand. Again try to spin longer phrases and while here Brahms wants forte, this cannot be the same as the “forte” of the main theme. Lastly be careful of the rhythm at cadences, the eighth notes are played too fast.

Wang Yiqun, you are very talented and already performing in a serious manner. I like many things you already accomplish, your sound and understanding of styles are excellent for your age. Keep improving and learn a great deal of repertoire.

Wang Yiqun
Haydn Sonata in D major, 1st movement
Very beautiful and stylish performance.Great character, dynamic contrasts. You might take even more time between sections, especially if performing in a large hall.
Liszt La Leggierezza
Nice and appropriately light character, but the melody could use a thicker, more singing sound. Louder and faster sections need more sweep and focus. The big crescendo was very effective and well planned. Fast and soft chromatic passages in the right hand could sound less notey and more wind-like.
Brahms Scherzo
Beautiful style, time, and character.Wonderful performance of a very difficult piece.

Wang Yiqun
Beautiful choice of Haydn sonata！Very well played too. In fast repetitive textures keep working towards making them more even. Liszt: Nice, expressive playing. I recommend using the soft pedal more often to achieve a greater level of intimacy. Very good thirds in the middle of the piece.  Please, try to think in longer phrases-there was a little too much sub-phrasing for my taste.

Brahms could use a little more pedal in “f” chords. Very good, strong playing overall. Your professional qualities are clearly very strong and your talents are apparent. What I looked in your playing and could not find was grace and elegance-the feeling we have when we look at a beautiful painting or in reading great poetry. You have these qualities inside and they appear at times instead of being out constantly. You also give the impression of an intelligent young person. Perhaps, reading more classical literature, biographies of famous people like composers whose music you play, should help. Good luck!

Wang Yiqun
Haydn’s D major sonata was realised with lots of energy.  The phrasing needed to be longer- excessive head movements may be preventing sustained phrasing.  Overall there was too much agitation and nervous energy where warmth and charm would be more fitting and appropriate.  Welcome lightness of touch and a good balance between the hands. With a little more spaciousness and care over the characterisation of the music, results could be even more convincing. 
‘La Leggierezza’ was taken at a persuasive tempo. The opening had an appropriate tonal range, but as the textures became busier there was a need for a lighter touch, with more mercurial passagework, more careful and imaginative pedalling and more creativity in terms of texture and balancing of voices. Phrasing lacked real expansive expression and personality.  There was a need for cantabile throughout- something also missing from the Haydn earlier.
In Brahms’ op. 4 scherzo control and focus remained consistently positive throughout.  There was a need for a bigger over-view with phrasing, so that accents on individual bars become less significant that broader phrase units.  More interest in terms of colour variety and voicing would help lift the music off the page here.  Today the performance became rather predictable, and almost too ‘safe’ to real excite complete focus and interest from the listener.  Impressive work here and indeed throughout the programme nonetheless.

Wang Yiqun
Haydn – nice touch, good rhythm and articulation – the character of the piece came through very nicely!

Liszt la leggierezza – very musical.more pianistic control  and light touch are needed. also, sometimes simplicity makes a piece more expressive.

Brahms –very nice lyrical moments.be aware of symphonic nature of this work - this could be a scherzo movement from a symphony. make sure that you bring phrases to their destination without stopping on the way.

Wang Yiqun
Haydn Sonata in D Major, Hob XVI/24, Mvt 1
There was a very nice feeling for this Sonata and the dynamics were very well judged without exaggerations. There was good balance between the two hands. It is quite a pleasing performance.
Liszt Concert Etude “La Leggierezza”
There was a pleasing secure technique and good contrasts in the dynamics. The style of the work was well projected.
Brahms Scherzo in e flat minor Op 4
A very good choice of work with a good rhythmic control and a very pleasing range of dynamics.

Wang Yiqun
Haydn Sonata, elegant and stylish playing. You have a delicate sound with good articulation. I also like the energy and playfulness you brought out of this music.
Liszt la Leggierezza, good solid playing with a sound technique. The double thirds were impressive. I think if the runs are played with better evenness, clarity and delicacy, they can be much more attractive.
Brahms Scherzo. It is very admirable that at such a young age, you played this music which is clearly for grownups, with a great deal of certainty. Here the texture is thicker, and we need thicker sound, longer phrases, and more legato to bring this music to life. Too much thinking in vertical line can make it quite dry. But overall, a solid performance.

Wu Junlin
Haydn: Sonata in E major, HOB.XVI/31
Your performance is very spirited and is full of enthusiasm. Indeed your playing has many wonderful characteristics. I like the immediate drama of the C-sharp minor in the development section, the clarity of your scales and triplet figure whether melodic or accompanying. At times you manage well the cadences that are so important in the classical style. However, you consistently make the second note of the first subject a staccato thus the melodic line of B-A-G#-F#-E is broken – it is important to note that in the classical period such a descending line was automatically interpreted with a diminuendo. At times you also break up the phrase for a momentary “romanticism” – this in itself is acceptable but allowing the phrases their natural progression should be your goal. Lastly make an effort to react to keys, for example the first subject ends with a strong conclusion in E major, then without any transition the second subject appears in C-sharp minor; you really need to make a big character difference and chose a more contrasting somber color.

Liszt: Concert Etude “La Leggierezza”
You have an extremely good technique and I am sure you have the ability to tackle most of the piano repertoire. But technique is only a tool and understanding of the piece and utilizing the technique is of the absolute importance. The word “La Leggierezza” means “Lightness”, and a careful study of the score will inform you that only in two places does the music rise to the passionate loud dynamics. The word that you should have in your mind is “elegance” when interpreting this work, quite close to the atmosphere that Chopin creates in his Impromptus. By slowing down so many times, you stop the flow of the music and the natural progression that is the basis of this composition – the simple melody is varied constantly by added voices and ornamentation. You do manage to produce wonderful light sounds at times and it is a joy to hear these moments. The improvisatory nature of the introduction which starts softly should also be at the end of the work, making it sound as if you concluding with a reference to the beginning. Do try to revise your ideas as this could be a very beautiful piece for you.

Prokofiev: Sonata No.3 in A minor, Op.28
Written in 1917, this Sonata is a dramatic departure from the humorous, sarcastic mood of the Second Sonata. The work is in one movement form, utilized by many composers including Liszt, using three distinct thematic ideas with distinct sections of exposition, development, recapitulation and coda. While everyone agrees that it is one of the most brilliant, virtuosic works of Prokofiev, it is also full of lyricism and contrasts. One only has to look carefully the dynamic indications to bring to life all the varied colors that any successful performance of this Sonata requires. Although, I prefer the tempo a little on the slower side, it is in the area of dynamic discipline that your performance falls considerably short. It seems to me that you base your performance on the virtuoso character, while the fast tempo could be exhilarating, if it does not embrace all the details, the numerous secondary melodies and rhythmic motives the whole effect is not satisfying. My initial suggestion for you is to make sure that all the dynamic markings are exactly observed, this would immediately lift you performance on a higher level.
 
Wu Junlin, you have selected excellent repertoire and have considerable technique to deal with its difficulties. I sense also that you are talented and have a genuine personal way to communicate your ideas. But you need to understand that we, performers and teachers are but messengers of the great composers, we need to primarily serve their wishes.

Wu Junlin
Haydn Sonata in e major, first movement
Very strong performance.Solid and beautiful. I would have loved even more range in character, if possible. Try to explore the more graceful side of this piece. Also the sections feel a bit too compressed in times, especially the faster moving ones.
Liszt La Leggierezza
Very good control of the melodic line. Great sweep  in the fast chromatic passage of the right hand. Beautiful and convincing.
Prokofiev Sonata in a minor
Very polished performance.Beautifully contrasting second theme. It could have more refining voicing in the loud chordal passages (beginning, for example). Also, be careful when you release tension in the louder sections, as the ear needs a little more time to hear the harmonies clearly. Be also careful to balance the two hands well in the loudest passages.  All together it was a wonderful performance.

Wu Junlin
Simply excellent Haydn! I appreciate your tasteful, virtuosic and stylish creativity. This kind of interpretation should inspire your colleagues to play more Haydn not just for musical education, but very true and exciting music making. Your contemporary way of presenting the piece makes it sound modern without being tasteless.

Liszt also impressed me very much by genuine expressivity and depth. Please, minimize your body and head movements. They visually distract from listening. There were few rubato related stylistic issues less than perfect for my taste but if it was a small price to pay for achieving your expressivity. Very good finger technique.

Prokofiev: very strong, imagination engaging paying. Few wrongly learned notes in every piece of the program. I liked that your playing was not standardised. It was a professional result of careful and mature work of a talented young man. There is still quite a bit of polishing you need to do to always direct your talents the right way. I wish you much success in your career.

Wu Junlin
The Haydn was played with excellent technical control and effortless fluency.  Admirable shading and colour, but the music sounded a little too neatly packaged and dispatched. It needed to breathe more naturally, to unfold with a sense of poetic and vocal expression.  The performance sounded a little too ‘easy’ and lacked a sense of wonder and discovery.   Nonetheless there was a real projection of rhythmic intensity and involvement.
‘La leggierezza’ was an impressive achievement.  It opened with a much more convincing intensity and expressive power.  Natural rubato was allied to effortless technical control.  The busy passages could have been even more enticingly delicate at times, though an attempt was made to remain within the marked dynamic range.   Extremely impressive playing at the climax, which was extremely powerful but remained within the confines of the written dynamics.  Overall there is still much more room to explore genuine leggiero- it could be much lighter and more mesmerizingly delicate.

Prokofiev’s third sonata was realised with excellent finger work and panache. Thrilling pianism at an extraordinary high level.  It could have afforded to have been taken a little slower in order to allow all the phrases to shine and breathe- many details in the fastest section  are missed at the highest level if the piece is taken at such an extreme tempo.  There was also a need for much more leggiero and delicacy in the triplet figuration passages when the dynamic level is below mezzo forte.

Wu Junlin
Liszt La leggierezza –many excellent qualities – great fingers, good sound.very expressive, but to my taste too active all the time – borders on being insincere. explore more introspective, meditative qualities.

Prokofiev – excellent performance.great technical execution.

excellent playing overall. it is not necessary to do something to the music at every moment. if you allow the music to speak for itself you might be able to communicate with your listeners much better.

Wu Junlin
Haydn Sonata in E Major, Mvt 1
There were rather many body movements that detracted from the performance even though there was a fluent feeling for the style of the work. The dynamic range however was rather limited.
Liszt Concert Etude “La Leggierezza”
There was very pleasing involvement of the pianist in the performance of this work. There was also very good technical control and the climaxes were well shaped and also there were very good balance between the two hands.
Prokofiev Sonata No 3 in a minor, Op 28
There was a very good feeling for the style of this exciting work due to good technical control and very good details in the dynamics of the work.

Wu Junlin
Haydn sonata， I like the runs of 16th notes in this sonata. They were clearly articulated and brought out the spirit and charm that is so typically Haydn. The melody has a nice singing quality to it. Some of the accents and chords sounded harsh to me. They tend to disturb the flow of music.
Liszt Leggierezza, sensitive phrasing in the slow part. Good sense of legato and singing quality of the melody. It could be simpler for my taste. The runs are clean and even. But I feel with your solid technique, you can make them more colorful and imaginative. Now they sounded pretty much the same to me. The left hand lines can also be presented more clearly.
Prokofiev sonata, solid and quite clean. The music is presented here in a transparent way, so one can hear everything very clearly. However, I am missing a strong sense of rhythm here.  The strong rhythmic impulse, which manifests itself in the triplets, brings excitement and intensity to the piece. Without it, it's fast but flat, loud but not strong.

Xie Tianjian
Haydn: Sonata in C major, Hob.XVI/50
This is one of the three London Sonatas written in 1794/95 expansive in concept and range from dramatic sections to pages of the utmost brilliance. Your performance has many wonderful characteristics especially the clarity of articulation and defined contrasts. The passages are shaped with good taste and when necessary you bring out the different voices to allow for clear polyphony. In time I hope you will explore more of the essence of this movement which is full of superb humor. The sketchy theme progresses from staccato leaps to connected articulation moving the music descending and ascending, the surprises of jumping ornamental fragments that totally mimics classical comic operas. There is no real second subject, it is simply the first subject dressed in different cloths and often bringing dramatic moments to their conclusions with a smile. But you do have admirable control and provide a sensible, accurate performance.

Liszt: Concert Etude “La Leggierezza”
You have the ability to convey the essence of this work – “lightness” and especially in the second half you manage to create some very beautiful sounds. The theme, resembles the improvisatory nature of work, is varied constantly by simple accompaniment to chromatic scales. Unfortunately your touch is heavy at the beginning and the theme sounds ponderous. You also seem to be impatient at the beginning of the climax, wait for the harmonies bring about the “crescendo” and “stringendo” – make it a gradual progression that is inevitable. You could also make more differences between the keys as you modulate through A-flat major to B-flat minor to B minor to E major and also be more aware of the wonderful chromatic bass movement in the Coda. But basically you have a very good image of the work that you communicate with sincerity and in a personal way.

Chopin: Scherzo in E major, Op.54
This is a wonderful repertoire choice for you. Most students play the other scherzi whose character full of drama, passion and bitter sweet qualities are much more difficult to communicate. This scherzo is full of humor, smiles and joy. And you have the technical ability to create all these characteristics and perform the work in a very mature and enthusiastic way. Of course there are things to improve especially a deeper understanding and feeling for key changes – E major is always the key of angels, of beauty, while A-flat major is of love and gentleness. How Chopin moves between these keys makes this scherzo such magical. Then the C-sharp minor middle section containing the simple Polish folk melody should be such a great contrast. Here you could improve your performance as the melancholic atmosphere is disrupted by the “agitato” of the left hand figure. However, your transition to D minor and back to E major was excellently executed, so was the technically difficult “goodbye” of the Coda. In time this will be such a great work for you, hopefully you will also attempt the other scherzi as part of a recital program.

Xie Tianjian, you presented a clear understanding of styles in a very mature fashion. You have a wonderful approach to the piano and obviously love music. I hope you will continue to learn a great deal of repertoire and keep on performing, indeed the future for you looks very bright.

Xie Tianjian
Haydn Sonata in C major, 1st movement
Very crisp playing and good voicing. Although you have good contrast in character, I think the sound can be much more varied. In the more relaxed parts you can explore a warmer and more legato sound and also the shape of the phrases can change slightly and not always be so straight forward. Give dramatic importance to the pauses as well, do not just count them.
Liszt La Leggierezza
Again, very crisp playing, but it could use a more legato, warmer and lusher sound. Great clarity and very exciting playing, but I think this piece could use more contrasts. Warmth and lightness will make it more beautiful and even more exciting.
Chopin Scherzo in e major
Very good performance.Commanding and very clear conception. Again, I would have loved more contrasts in sound and perhaps a little more time between phrases, for added clarity and structural definition. Long, sweeping lines could be freer and less straight forward.

Xie Tianjian
Good, strong Haydn. A little too “directly” strong. It is a very virtuosic piece requiring high precision, which was not always there. Very nice sense of rhythm, good pedal.

Liszt: The beginning was a little too “present” and loud. I believe, you should find a more mysterious way to start this piece and immediately engage your listeners’ imagination.

The middle slow part of Scherzo I enjoyed the most from your whole program. It made it clear to me how talented and capable you are. Your phrasing and ability to listen and follow the line was genuine.

You have very good bases such as effortless physics, nice technique and fine sense of style. List goes on. But today your program was simply not fully polished and detailed. There were more than few wrong notes throughout your program included some wrongly learned ones in each piece. You need to work harder to be successful in your career. You are talented and you deserve success. It’s in your hands. Good luck.

Xie Tianjian
Haydn’s ‘English’ Sonata was played with rhythmic focus and secure fingers. Overall it was a little too unyielding and uncompromising today.  There was a need for much more charm, spaciousness, humour, variety of texture and delicacy.  Accents tended to be over-projected.  There are more possibilities with the left hand part here- try for real variety of sound and also for less heaviness in the louder passages. The music needed to breathe a lot more within the (correctly sustained) rhythmic pulse. 
Liszt’s ‘La leggierezza’ was also impressively secure and well ordered- especially from a technical-mechanical perspective.  The sound overall needs to be more delicate and enticing.  At present the tone was very full at times- too full- and consequently the etude emerged in rather a common place manner rather than as the extraordinary extended whisper that it is.  Much more variety of colour and subtlety at a quieter dynamic level would be most welcome now in order to raise the overall quality of the interpretation
Chopin’s fourth scherzo showed an excellent sense of structure and also admirable finger work to a most impressive level.  There is so much more to discover now in terms of colour and magical articulation.  Moving forward by approaching the passagework with a much quieter overall dynamic level would be extremely helpful.   The central section needed more natural and effortless phrasing with less accentuation on individual melodic notes and more care for the overall and seamless melodic line as it unfolds in its never-ending journey.  Many beautiful colours nonetheless.  The return of the opening section- final third of the work- became a little less refined. It is important to retain the poetic lyricism of this unique scherzo from beginning to end.  Retaining the delicacy and refinement without becoming driven is essential.

Xie Tianjian
Haydn – very nice playing, a bit too straightforward.let the music breathe more, this piece has lots of humor and contrasts in it – you make it sound too businesslike.

Liszt La leggierezza – you can be more sensitive to harmonic changes, nuance and touch. very capable technically. the name of the piece has something to do with being light – you playtoo much of it at “f”.  experiment more with “p”, “pp” and “ppp”.

Chopin scherzo no. 4 –you make this piece sound angry instead of elating. you play very accurately in general – your staccatos need to fly more, passage work could be much more effervescent, while maintaining melodic quality in each run. the middle part sometimes lacks improvisational, dreamy, singing quality. try to avoid being so vertical on each down beat – let the music flow more naturally and effortlessly.

Very good technical foundation!

Xie Tianjian
Haydn Sonata in C Major XVI/50, Mvt 1
There was a well chosen tempo and a very nice appreciation of the style of this Sonata. The dynamic range was appropriate to the style of this work and it was pleasing to see a forward movement throughout the performance.
Liszt Concert Etude “La Leggierezza”
There was a very pleasing flowing movement throughout the performance and very good balance between the two hands. Overall it was a very pleasing performance.
Chopin Scherzo in E Major, Op 54
With a very good technical control, the chosen tempos were appropriate and the performance had some very fine aspects. Well done!

Xie Tianjian
Haydn sonata, well played with a tight control, a steady tempo and good balance. But I am missing the natural flow and the delicate yet singing sound in a Haydn sonata. It sounded a little dry to me. Perhaps a little more direction in phrasing, and a more flowing tempo might help.
Liszt Leggierezza, nicely played with a solid technique. I like the range you displayed in this piece. If the melody could be more singing, or played with a more intense legato, it could be more attractive. I'd also like to see that you try to get more color and contrasts out of the runs.  After all, a good technique should be used to get more musical expression.
Chopin scherzo, well thought out, mature performance. There are slight technical glitches here and there, but quite an accomplishment for someone so young. Personally, I would like to see you let go a little more. Yes, we have to play with correct rhythm, and pay attention to various styles, but that's not the purpose. The purpose is to be expressive in music, and let yourself and the audience be moved by it. So be brave and explore, you will be handsomely rewarded.

Zhang Siying
Mozart: Sonata in D major, KV 311
This is a very enthusiastic and energetic performance. The Sonata was written when Mozart was 22 years old for his first visit to Mannheim, a very important music center of the period. It is very orchestral in nature, ingeniously utilizing contrast between full orchestra and single instrument with accompaniment. I like very much how you make differences between the first and second subjects, the crispness of your sixteen note accompaniment and the way you finish your cadences. You still need to work on the language of the classic style: you should not “crescendo” into a “forte”, it should be a clear contrast, also do not “crescendo” the descending melodic lines, for example the descending quarter notes in the second subject or at the beginning of the development section. There are many surprises, understand these and use them to create interest for your listeners. Often you negate these, for example the interrupted cadence third measure before the end of the movement should be loud like a question and not soft, enabling the answer to be in a contrasting mood. However, it is obvious that you have a close affinity to this music and I hope you learn many, if not all the Mozart Sonatas.

Mendelssohn: Rondo Capriccioso, Op.14
A perfect composition such as this one creates many problems for interpretation and performance. Your performance is strong in one area, the quality of your sound is superb, you make a distinction between the E major “Andante” and the E minor “Presto” sections. The vocal quality of your melody especially at the beginning was superb as was the instrumental fugal entries launching the fast tempo, both were of the highest standard of performance.
However, much of this is negated by your personal interpretation of the work which is constantly plagued by the excessive use of stopping and slowing within phrases. Music must flow and one principal factor in romantic music is to move towards the first beat (especially in 6/8 time), seldom use the feeling of a final cadence and stretching the lines into long phrases. Further, use of different degree of “ritardando” or “calando” must be a natural outcome of the music and must be executed in a creative manner.

Liszt: Concert Etude “Gnomenreigen”
It is quite obvious that you have the technique to perform this or perhaps many other études of Franz Liszt. An important aspect of his method of composition is that he always needed inspiration from an external source. In this case it is the imaginary “Dance of Gnomes”, viewed from a romantic perspective meaning “little people” – energetic, light and full of mischief.  Liszt composes this work in two section, the first is a repeat of the introduction and main theme in A major the first time and B-flat major the second time. The second part is a gradual increase in tempo to the end moving from G minor to F-sharp major and then modulations and back to the F-sharp for the Coda.
Your tempo at the beginning did not give you any room to get faster and faster in the second section. You must try to give the main theme different feel of color as it is announced in three different keys. Lastly look at the dynamic markings of Liszt and the different levels of “piano”, once you do justice to these markings you will find your performance much more satisfying.

Zhang Siying, you are talented and endowed with excellent technique. You have a natural easy way of playing, perhaps too easy! However in time you need to demand of yourself to express with determination what is in the score. I wish you all the best in all of your endeavors.

Zhang Siying
Mozart Sonata KV 311, 1st movement
The weak beats are rushing slightly, and so are sixteenths notes. As a consequence there is a certain sense of agitation which I do not think belongs to this movement. Be also careful to keep the left hand in balance and not make it sound too heavy.
Mendelssohn Rondo Capriccioso
Very good melody in the introduction, but be careful not to overpower it with the left hand.  Great character in the faster section, but the second theme feels a little too heavy. It is singing, but the left hand makes it too heavy. Also be careful to keep a strong pulse throughout, and to feel all the harmony changes, even if the music moves fast.
Liszt Gnomenreigen
Very good and light character.Great conception and overview of this work.

Zhang Siying
Very nice and sweet Mozart. You have a very good ear. Everything is polyphonically clear and transparent. I have to say the same about Mendelssohn and Liszt. Your playing in each piece was extremely intelligent and musical. It displayed such important qualities as fine technique, nice sense of shape, natural gentle manners at the instrument. However it was lacking something, which would make you listener to remember and identify you from the very large quantity of fine pianists of your age. I did not sense that you made a spiritual effort to uncover true inner beauty, which hides in depth of the each piece of your program. I am very pleased with your playing, but I also expect to be very impressed. Please, widen your musical imagination, allow more extremes in your playing, do not be afraid of making a mistake – we can’t learn without making mistakes. I believe in your genuine talent and wish you best of luck.

Zhang Siying
The Mozart D major Sonata had spaciousness and warm lyricism in the melodic part.  However even more refinement, creativity and delicacy is possible in the lower parts.  The left hand figurations needed more delicacy and refinement throughout, and could be tackled with much more imagination and creativity.  Musical and accomplished playing nonetheless.
Mendelssohn’s Andante showed intensity and lyricism but did not stray from the constraints of the style in terms of dynamics and texture.  The rubato was imaginative, but could be a little more natural and more under-stated now.  Try for a little more subtlety.
The Rondo Capriccioso had delicacy and an excellent tempo which was fluent and exciting yet still managed to allow the music time to breathe.   There is still room and scope for lighter sounds, however, and also for more shading within the given dynamic range.  At times there was a need for more natural and effortless rubato in the phrasing.  Before the E major arpeggios the ritardandos sounded artificial and unconvincing.  Overall an exciting and idiomatic performance.
‘Gnomenreigen’ was played with fluency and character.  Pedalling was a little too heavy throughout which made articulation just a little less clear than it might have been. Overall it could have been a fraction faster and even lighter too.  There is room for even more subtlety and variety of sound within the given parameters set out on the score.  Try to sound as though you are composing as you play, so that there is always a sense of discovery and surprise in the dynamic range.   The climax became a little too solid and heavy, lacking real leggiero and a sense of transparency.  This is music that should always sound air born and free.  Extremely impressive playing overall, with some welcome natural and innate features that go well beyond what it is possible to teach.

Zhang Siying
Mozart –good articulation and nice separation of melody and accompaniment, good spirit.could be even more elegant

Mendelssohn –very beautiful and expressive sound in the introduction.please do not over use the rubato – the most successful rubato is impossible to dissect, yours are often too obvious. nice light touch in rondo. some of the deliberate stops and ritards do not sound genuine and sincere.
Liszt gnomenreigen–nice fingerwork. I am missing the mysterious, magical quality of the piece. theprestissimo section should not be slower than the rest of the piece.

Zhang Siying
Mozart Sonata KV311, Mvt 1
The chosen tempo was appropriate and it was pleasing to see the security of the technical aspects of this Sonata.  The dynamics were also appropriate for this performance.
Mendelssohn Rondo Capriccioso Op 14
The Andante introduction was nicely shaped and the Capriccioso had a lively tempo and there was a very good forward momentum with very clear staccato. There was a pleasing security in the technical aspects of this work.
Liszt Concert Etude “Gnomenreigen”
There was pleasing clarity of articulation throughout the performance and there was overall a brilliance in the performance. Well done!

Zhang Siying
Mozart sonata, very elegant and stylish playing. I like the fact that you paid detailed attention to phrasing. So the small contrasts and nuances were brought out. Personally, I like it to be played with more energy. Perhaps a slightly faster tempo might help.
Mendelssohn Rondo Capriccioso, good solid playing. It is very steady rhythmically. But here, I'd like to see more range. There are so many contrasts and different shades of colors in this music. You can have more fun with them. So the music doesn't stay the same, and your emotion stagnant. Sometimes, the middle of the road is the most dangerous place to be.
Liszt Gnomenreigen, the runs are impressive. They are clear and played with ease. Perhaps a stronger rhythm would add a little bounce to it.