by Mike Telin
Llewellyn Sanchez-Werner (24, United States) kicked off the final session of Round 2 with a mesmerizing performance of Beethoven’s Sonata in c, Op. 111. Throughout the daunting work, Sanchez-Werner produced an unblemished sound that highlighted the work’s many dynamic contrasts and sudden shifts in mood. The opening theme of the second movement was beautiful. Moving seamlessly from one variation to the next, his playing was both intimate and full-bodied.
Sanchez-Werner concluded his set with Chopin’s Etude in a, Op. 25, No. 11 (“Winter Wind”) Although his tempo erred on the safe side, his playing was technically precise. His sound was powerful but never overpowered the music. [Read more…]
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 July 22 installment of the Second Round of the Cleveland International Piano Competition began with Ziyu Liu’s (22, China) performance of Chopin’s Nocturne in c, Op. 48, No. 1. Liu’s pace was measured and unhurried, bringing out the piano’s rich tones and highlighting rhythmic intricacies. This stately tempo lent itself to carefully curated phrases in which each note was considered before it was played, giving the piece intention and polish.
It was a nice change of pace when Zhi Chao Juli Jia (29, China) opened her second round program with Rameau’s Les Tendres Plaintes. Her lovely performance of the short work was light and full of sensitive ornamentation. The pianist brought clean scales and articulations along with dynamic contrasts and well-shaped phrases to Beethoven’s Sonata No. 18 in E-flat, Op. 31, No. 3. The recurring theme in the scherzo was playful and the Menuetto graceful — the concluding Presto full of fire.
After a three-day break, Competition first-round performances will continue on Thursday, July 15 at 7:00 pm. Audiences can also experience that evening’s session by attending the Watch Party at the Beachwood Community Center. Pack a picnic and bring your chairs to watch performances under the stars and on the big screen. Click 
Bowen Li 
Precision, clarity, and character stood out in the opening selection from Vitaly Starikov (25, Russia) — Bach’s Fantasia and Fugue in a, BWV 904. He brought the different voices of the opening into a discussion of their own, and pointed up certain phrases in the Fugue with an attractive, manic energy.
The moment has arrived. After a year-long postponement, Piano Cleveland’s signature event — the Cleveland International Piano Competition (CIPC) — will take place from July 7 through August 11. The 2021 competition will be hybrid, including pre-recorded First and Second Rounds with Semi-Final and Final Rounds taking place in Cleveland.