Tag: recital

Taking music to the next level

 

Proud achievers …While learning, practising and  playing the piano build music skills and is a form of brainpower training, performing on stage is an ultimate test. The Piano Students of Lee Jae Phang at the Studio Recital 2025  at Yamaha Festival Hall, Kelana Jaya, Malaysia on Sept 13, 2025.

By Foong Pek Yee

foongpekyee@gmail.com

sept 16, 2025

The recital is meaningful as well as enlightening for the students ; from celebrating their achievements to figuring out areas that need improvement.

As teacher Lee Jae puts it: “The concert is meant to be a learning experience for everyone. We only grow stronger with every performance we do,  so you have bigger and better experiences to look forward to.”

Concert pianist and teacher Lee Jae delivering his welcome address at the Yamaha Festival Hall on Sept 13, 2025 recital.

 

Students who took part in the recital.

Learning piano to acquire the skills and mastering it is,  a journey with its many milestones.

While some students may be talented, it takes  discipline, hard work, diligent  practice  and most of all,  the help and guidance of a good teacher to realize the students’ full potential.

The same applies to all students .

And guidance and support from their parents and/ or family members especially for the very young students, is  equally important.

The presence of the students’  family members at the recital  speaks volumes.

Every student is unique.

For this recital, preparations started from choosing the piece, practising the technicalities, polishing it,  practise playing for others  to  stagecraft.

All in, the  teacher, students and their family members made the recital a resounding success.

Looking forward to next year’s recital!

Different journey, same destination

Significance: Trio Mastro’s recital titled Visions in Petaling Jaya on April 7, 2024 highlights the musical journey of renowned composers -Joseph Haydn, Antonin Dvorak and Vasyl Barvinsky.

By Foong Pek  Yee.

foongpekyee@gmail.com

April 12, 2024

Joseph Haydn ( 1732-1809)  was a court musician for the very wealthy and influential Esterhazy family near Vienna.
It was certainly more than a prestigious job for the Austrian composer whose talent and potential was recognized and admired by the head of the Esterhazy family, Prince Nikolaus.
 Thus, the gifted Haydn,  who was under the employment of the Esterhazy for 30 years,  found himself a conducive environment to develop and excel in his music.
His works like the piano trios, string quartets and symphonies set the stage for later development of the genre by renowned composers including Beethoven.
 Meanwhile Antonin Dvorak’s composition “Dumky” trio is an unusual format of five interconnected movements, and the Czech composer  (1841-1904) is also known as the  master of melody.
Unlike Haydn and Dvorak who were  from humble background and had to fend for themselves in the early part of their career, Ukrainian composer Vasyl Barvinsky (1888- 1963) was from an older aristocratic family.
Barvinsky’s father was a public figure,  while his  mother who was a pianist and singer was his first music teacher.
He drew heavily in Ukranian folk influence for his piano trio.
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Choice compositions:  The works of Haydn, Dvorak and Barvinsky played by Trio Mastro at their recital titled Visions in Yin Qi  Music,  Petaling Jaya, on April 7, 2024.
In harmony:  Trio Mastro and their audience on April 7, 2024.
In  Petaling Jaya, Malaysia on April 7, 2024,  Trio Mastro showcased the works of Haydn, Dvorak and Barvinsky in a recital titled Visions: Works by Haydn, Dvorak and Barvinsky.
“The recital showcases music by visionary composers,” says Lee Jae Phang, Trio Mastro’ s pianist.
The other two members of Trio Mastro are cellist Lyubomira Stankova and violinist cum composer Hank Su Ren Han.
Lee Jae is Malaysian, Lyu a Bulgarian and Hank a Taiwanese.
The three award-winning musicians  have chalked up many years honing their skills and performing abroad.
They first met in Kuala Lumpur end of 2022, formed Trio Mastro not long after and currently based in Malaysia.
Lee Jae says Trio Mastro will continue to have recitals at different venues in the Klang Valley to share their music as far as possible.

The power of music

Beethoven and the Cello: Lee Jae Phang (left) and Lyubomira Stankova in Kuala Lumpur on March 3, 2024

By Foong Pek Yee

March 14, 2024
THE recital – Beethoven and the Cello : An epic musical journey – by concert pianist Lee Jae Phang and cellist Lyubomira Stankova is certainly more than beautiful music.
It saw Lee Jae and Lyu setting a new record in classical music for Malaysia!
“Complete cycles of Beethoven’s works are occasionally performed in Europe and the United States, but seldom presented in Asia.
“Our research shows that our project to perform all the cello and piano works(five sonatas AND three variations) has never been done in Malaysia,” says Lee Jae of their  two-day recital on March 2 and 3 in Kuala Lumpur.
At Singapore’s Victoria Concert Hall last August, Lee Jae says Altenburg Arts presented cellist Yibai Chen and pianist Boyang Shi performing the complete works over two recitals as well.
Beethoven and the Cello – In Kuala Lumpur on March 2, 2024
Sonata No. 2 in G minor, Op. 5, No. 2 (25 mins)
Sonata No. 4 in C major, Op. 102, No. 1 (17 mins)
Sonata No. 3 in A major, Op. 69 (27 mins)
Beethoven and the Cello – In Kuala Lumpur on March 3, 2024
12 Variations on “See the conquering hero comes”, WoO 45 (13 mins)
Sonata No. 1 in F major, Op. 5, No. 1 (25 mins)
12 Variations on “Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen”, Op. 66 (10 mins)
7 Variations on “Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen”, WoO 46 (10 mins)
Sonata No. 5 in D major, Op. 102, No. 2 (16 mins)
No ordinary recital: Lee Jae and Lyu performing in Kuala Lumpur on March 2, 2024.
Lee Jae points out that to play a complete cycle of any genre of Beethoven’s works (the piano sonatas or the string quartets for example) requires a performer to be simultaneously  a master of their instrument and also a mature musician.
Beethoven seldom repeats himself musically, preferring instead to continuously push the boundaries of musical expression and possibility; each of the five cello sonatas are therefore individual creations with distinct musical characteristics.
This means that a performer who performs the entire cycle has to effectively and convincingly switch between musical characters on stage.
A performer who is less skilled and experienced will be less successful at communicating vividly the different characters and shades of meaning found within each of the pieces.
Lee Jae  and Lyu also conducted masterclasses on March 3.
Young and talented : Lee Jae (far left) and Lyu (far right) with their students at the masterclasses on March 3, 2024.
Each of the four students performed their choice of works by Beethoven.
Lee Jae and Lyu gave them musical and technical feedback to help them improve in their playing.
A special element of the masterclasses was the opportunities that the students were given to play either with Lyu or with Lee Jae.
Important insights: Lyu with a student at the masterclasses.
Talented and confident : Lee Jae with a student at the masterclasses.
Apart from playing a movement from a piano sonata of their choice, the students also chose a section of a piano and cello work to play with Lyu.
This allows them to experience and learn the art of playing chamber music.
The cello students had the opportunity to play a cello and piano work, accompanied by Lee Jae.

A date in October

By Foong Pek Yee
foongpekyee@gmail.com.

Oct 12, 2023

MUSIC is central in every culture and transcends time.

It has profound influence on major aspects of  life; from character building to health and well being  while science continues to discover the many wonders of music.

And the musical journey of concert pianist Lee Jae Phang is testimony.

Lee Jae Phang

Getting his first diploma in piano at the age of 11,  he learned the importance of perseverance  and commitment at a young age.

Not long after, he went to the United Kingdom(UK)  to continue his education.

Under prominent mentors, Lee Jae has gained invaluable guidance, experiences and the many opportunities for him to excel.

Among others, he participated in master classes conducted by renowned pianists like Sir Stephen Hough CBE, members of the Julliard School Faculty and esteemed figures like Philippe Cassard and Michel Beroff.

Winning the Audience Prize and the 1st Beethoven Performance Award in the Beethoven Piano Festival in Altaussee, Austria in 2016 marked a major milestone for him.

Lee Jae has Masters of Music in Performance (MMus) with Distinction from the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, UK and a Fellow of the  Royal School of Music (FRSM) with Distinction.

The accomplished Malaysian pianist’s  track record at home and abroad speaks volumes.

His influence extends to teaching, conducting lectures and master classes for advanced piano students.

Lee Jae who has ongoing recitals in Yamaha Music Malaysia is known for his impressive Beethoven Piano Sonatas Cycle.

He was a judge for the prestigious Chopin Society of Malaysia’s International Music Competition.

Earlier this year, the distinguished performer , teacher, accompanist and chamber musician was on a concert tour in Phnom Penh, Cambodia organised by the German-Cambodian Cultural Society.

The highlight of the tour was Lee Jae’s piano recital hosted by the German Ambassador .

His passion for Beethoven music is reflected in his comprehensive recording of the composer’s piano sonatas available on his YouTube channel.

He will be conducting a lecture recital in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 29, 2023.

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