I am currently in Shropshire (near Wales, UK) for two weeks working at a Summer piano school and music festival called PIANO WEEK. I’ve been coaching pianists both young and old through workshops, presentations, piano and composition classes. It’s certainly a most enjoyable opportunity and I relish the chance to meet a group of like-minded students and teachers. As I’m away, I thought the following YouTube video might be of interest. It’s a lecture recital by the renowned Japanese pianist Mitsuko Uchida.
Uchida gave this fascinating illustrated lecture at Oxford University last year. Her topic: How they differ, comparing two major piano concertos: Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major Op. 58 and Mozart’s Piano Concerto in C Major K. 503 in memory of the late Lord Weidenfeld who founded the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme, and the Humanitas Visiting Professorships at Oxford and Cambridge.
Granted, I have not heard as many masterclasses as would be desired, but this is quite possibly the most exciting and informative masterclass I’ve ever heard. Early in the presentation I had the sensation that Uchida was merely an extension of the piano, that the piano was embodied within Uchida; they are one and the same. Thus, it was most interesting when she later described her musical experiences as so physical, too. Thank you so much for sharing this masterclass with us.