2008 Woodie Awards
String and keys always please
Scott Waldyn
Issue date: 4/16/08 Section: The Edge
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Mihai (violin) and Kim (piano) gave a great performance for the Macomb and Western communities to enjoy. With the lights dimmed and audience hushed, Mihai and Kim took to the stage in matching white dresses, greeted the audience with a slight bow and took their positions.
"Rhapsody for Violin and Piano," composed by Western music professor Paul Paccione, began the recital with a mellow undertone that was slow and graceful.
The second and third pieces, "Romance in G Major, Op. 40" and "Romance in F Major, Op. 50," both composed by Ludwig van Beethoven, picked up the pace and sounded just like their namesake. With upbeat, cheery melodies, the two pieces were reminiscent of tunes one may expect to find in a romantic comedy of a couple strolling through a mall or some other cliché scene of love. The more dramatic and technical "Balada" by Ciprian Porumbescu was a great piece to end the first half of the recital.
Intermission was a spectacle to casual concertgoers as some of the more enthusiastic members of the audience grouped off to discuss the pieces they just heard. The second half of the recital was the long and difficult "Sonata for Piano and Violin, Op. 47," otherwise know as "Kreutzer Sonata." Mihai and Kim performed the demanding piece with precision and expertise, resulting in a truly memorable experience for audience members.
Two months of rehearsal for each performer certainly showed during the performance as they worked together flawlessly.
Watching Mihai playing her Guadagnini violin or Kim tickling the ivories of the Steinway & Sons grand piano was thrilling as they both executed complex pieces with grace and accuracy. While the two assistant professors do not have any future plans to play another recital together, the two had good chemistry. Here's hoping for future performances.
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