Students’ piano recital

Press, 17 October 1987, Page 8

Students’ piano recital

7.A recital by piano students of * Rosemary Miller Stott, presented by 1= the Arts Centre of Christchurch, at the 5- Great Hall, October 18, l.lt p.m. Re- >. viewed by Philip Norman. £ This was in essence a studio demonstration recital, and as such probably of more appeal to friends and relatives of J performers than the general concerti going public. Nevertheless, the musical potential demonstrated on the stage was > greeted enthusiastically by a , sizeable t audience, ' Four advanced piano students from k the teaching practice of Rosemary Miller Stott were featured in what was an •: enjoyable, , though slightly over-long, * mixed-fare programme. First up was Marina Manning with a tidy ■ reading of Bach’s Prelude and i: Fugue in C sharp minor. Although initial ' nervousness helped blur some of the l phrases of the Prelude, the Fugue was ? marked bv a commendably clean, rhythfe mic articulation. Marina Manning also h appeared later In the programme with a sensitively wrought account of a Debussy ! “Sarabande.” ■' Carol Dodge appeared in the role of • - arrnmnanist in a gentle airing of Schu- • terfr and Variations for 1 and' PtanoT The hauling tone of

the flautist, Helen Bush (a pupil of Judy Cooper), set the atmosphere for a picturesque account of the work. The accompaniment was generally secure and sympathetic to the interpretative path taken by the soloist.

Selena Barkle’s performance of Debussy’s “Les Collines d’Anacapri” was notable for its technical mastery of the challenging textures. Some bold colouristic effects were achieved. Katherine Heinz made two separate appearances in the recital. One was as the accompanist to the soft-edged baritone voice of Wally Enright (pupil of Anne Price) in a selection of songs from Vaughan Williams’ “Songs of Travel.” The other was as a soloist, in “Two Preludes,” by Martinu. As an accompanist, Katherine Heinz shows considerable promise. Her lines were consistently clean and drawn at a dynamic level that offered a secure but discrete support for the soloist

Her performance of the preludes featured some of the liveliest sounds of the recital. Though the Blues prelude may have swung more given a greater rhythmic freedom within the beat the scherzo featured fiery, playful material that was delivered with an ending vigour.