Deserving youth

I record Wednesday lunchtime concerts at Wesley and I often hear upcoming pianists, experienced with great teachers and Eisteddfod and the likes and it's a pleasure.  This day was Shreyas Sunkaraneni who I had seen before but not as a solo concert performer.  He was seriously impressive, capable, memorised, authentic and emotive, playing Haydn, Chopin, Brahms and interestingly and more diversely, Debussy.  I drooled over the delicacy of the playing, the beautifully spelled out passages, some free floating times and insistent, forceful statements.  The Haydn was a Sonata in C minor, the Chopin an Etude in C# minor, the Brahms a Rhapsody in G minor, but the  most demanding and exquisite with modern colours and pensive restraint was Debussy, La soiree dans Grenade.  This arrived at a recent century, with what I interpreted as a dancing, dotted rhythm, Habanero to teacher Marie.  But all, varied as it was, was played with seriousness and commitment despite a few slipups.  So be it; this was serious and demanding music played from memory by a young player.  In fact the concert was entitled Delicacy and Passion.  How could I question that?  I was impressed and look forward to being so again.  Youth never ceases to impress me after having left it somewhat behind.

Shreyas Sunkaraneni (piano), student of Marie Cull, performed Haydn, Chopin, Brahms and Debussy at Wesley.