by Cait Winston
Suah Ye (20, South Korea) chose a single work — Prokofiev’s Sonata No. 8 in B-flat — for her Round Two, Session Five performance in the Cleveland International Piano Competition on July 24. Throughout the first and second movements, Ye’s phrasing was highly expressive — she facilitated feelings of tension and release throughout the phrases that effectively highlighted climactic moments. Her dynamics were deliberate and skillfully executed, and she was able to maintain an intensity even in soft moments.
The third movement consists of highly complicated textures with many quickly moving parts, all mastered by Ye, who brought out nuances with consistently effortless technique and poignant drama. [Read more…]