Programming two-piano recitals takes derring-do because of so many ways a performance can go wrong…
But there also must be artists of matching musical intelligence and psychological inclination regarding the score. Gluing it together, of course, is ceaseless practice, with synchronized precision the starting point.
On Wednesday night, the Irving S. Gilmore International Keyboard Festival concert at a full Dalton Center Recital Hall brought together these essentials for a compelling two-piano performance that will remain with the audience for a lifetime. Kirill Gerstein, 2010 Gilmore Artist, and Katherine Chi, rising Canadian pianist, combined for a blazing performance…
… Gerstein and Chi make a wonderfully matched duo. Each has technique to burn, but also taste that does not lose beauty in pursuit of precision alone. Katherine Chi proved herself a top-tier pianist whose excellence helped highlight Gerstein’s incredible talent. Finally, their performance reinforces our need for more duo-pianist programs.
Kalamazoo Gazette | May 1, 2014