It was a pleasure to attend 15 -year-old Shanil Wijesinghe’s debut solo piano recital at the Russian Cultural Center last month. Shanil is currently schooling in Florida where his piano teacher Dr. Margaret Goreshnik, is helping him prepare for his first solo concert there in early 2011.
The guest of honour at his debut recital was his first piano teacher, Indrani Hapugalle. Shanil later studied piano with Ramya de Livera, who continues to serve as his teacher and mentor in Sri Lanka.
Shanil began with Mozart’s Sonata in A major (famous for its third movement popularly known as the Turkish Rondo) and then moved on to a Chopin piece (Waltz no. 3 in A minor), followed by two more Chopin pieces (Waltz no. 6 in D flat major and Waltz no. 7 in C sharp minor, respectively). During the intermission his father, Thilan Wijesinghe, entertained us with two of his own piano compositions. We were not aware that both father and son would be performing at the concert as this was not mentioned in the programme- but it was a pleasant surprise as the tunes (fusion music) were catchy and rhythmic and well executed.
The second half of the programme consisted of Beethoven’s Sonata no. 2 in C sharp minor (“Moonlight Sonata”).
The very old Estonia Grand at the Russian Centre is not really up to concert standard due to its hard sound and heavy touch, but this did not deter Shanil from delivering an impressive performance, which had the stamp of equanimity and self-assurance. This talented teenager showed very good technique and temperament, and a keen understanding of tempi and modulation. The Mozart sonata was played with a light and breezy touch, and his brisk and lively handling of the Rondo (third movement) was quite enjoyable.
It is challenging, especially for a male pianist, to capture the sweetness and lyrical beauty of the first movement (a theme with six variations); Shanil played it well, but perhaps should have paid more attention to interpretation. On the other hand, he was performing on a moribund piano (some of the base strings sounded pretty dead!), from which I imagine it would be difficult for any pianist (even a Perahia or an Argerich!) to extract depth and resonance.
The three Chopin waltzes (no’s. 3, 6 and 7) vary significantly in terms of mood, tempo and melodic arrangement. The third is a deeply introspective piece (evidently the composer’s favourite), full of gentle, melancholic thoughts woven into a four-part structure with the plaintive introduction (around 30 seconds) being restated at the end. The sixth (“Minute Waltz”) is a total of around 140 measures and performed molto vivace. It is the fastest, shortest and most playful of the Chopin waltzes with playing time averaging about one and half minutes. The seventh (a lively and poignant waltz that complements the sixth in Opus 64) has three interwoven themes (with three different tempo markings) and ends with a fade-out of the second theme.
The above were performed with aplomb by Shanil. There was fluency and clarity in his playing and good control of tempi and volume. There was the occasional slip which could be attributed to the stiffness of the keyboard and possibly because he played without the aid of any manuscript throughout. Some of the subtleties of mood and emotion associated with Chopin’s compositions were lacking. Perhaps a high level of artistic refinement is too much to expect from such a young pianist.
After the intermission came the “Moonlight Sonata,” which deviates considerably from the traditional (fast-slow-fast) sonata form. The composition, which is a blend of sonata and fantasia, progresses in curvilinear fashion from adagio sostenuto to allegretto to presto agitato, with rapid music reserved for the final movement. The first is viewed as one of the most hauntingly beautiful “lamentations” and the third, as one of the most powerful and ferocious assaults on the emotions ever written.
This sonata is usually performed in its entirety by mature concert pianists; hence it was brave of Shanil to have attempted it. He did admirably well though and showed good technique, control and temperament. There were moments of luminosity and artistry in the third movement that were quite breathtaking and indicative of his true potential.
But a word of advice to Shanil: he must start playing from the heart and try to express his inner musicality without concentrating only on technique. There is no doubt that he is capable of lofty artistic interpretation and this should be the next phase of his trajectory as a performing artist. Technique alone does not make one a virtuoso pianist. The other aspects of musicianship such as style, stage presence, individual flair, and inner expression are equally important.
I must hasten to add that for someone who has been playing classical music for only six years, Shanil has made excellent progress. He is a gifted musician who believes in himself and performs with a great deal of poise and sangfroid. With the right level of training, commitment and application, there is no reason why he cannot become a topflight pianist someday. |
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