06 March 2024

Varitable piano

Jennifer Hou performed solo piano for the Wednesday lunchtime concert at Wesley.  I'd seen her before but not solo.  To put it mildly, I was blown out!  This was virtuosic playing, interesting selections, loud, insistent, busy, but also tender with emotions on displayed, then flowing, romantic, melodic, over screeds of arpeggios or roiling notes, outspoken then pensive in parts and delicious phrases.  Suffice to say there's real contact here, interpretation that you see on her face, not at all forced but forceful and true.  Then we chatted.  She's pretty new to Canberra, coming to teach piano at Canberra Grammar School.  And her bio listed Masters in San Francisco and First Class Honours in Sydney and a string of competition and Eisteddhod wins and performances in the Opera House and Sydney Town Hall and more.  So a capable player.  And other studies and music and more.  But listen to her concert and just take in the commitment and capability of it all.  A stellar outing this one.

Jennifer Hou (piano) performed Ross Edwards, Scriabin and Cesar Franck at Wesley.

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