SZ teen wows audience with piano recital

Sarah Wang, a 13-year-old Shenzhen girl, captivated the audience with her remarkable piano recital at the Shenzhen Concert Hall’s Steinway Garden on the evening of July 28, rendering an array of classical pieces from different eras.

Wang showcased her musical talents by playing Bach’s “Prelude and Fugue in C Major, BWV 870,” Chopin’s “Scherzo No. 1 in B Minor, Op. 20,” Ravel’s “Valses Nobles et Sentimentales” and Beethoven’s “Piano Sonata No. 7 in D Major, Op. 10, No. 3.” She also collaborated with violinist Cheng Yawei and cellist Chen Mo to perform the first movement of Beethoven’s “Piano Trio in E-flat Major, Op. 1, No. 1.”

“I hope the audience enjoys the music, immersing themselves in different music eras, like taking a time machine, and appreciates the diverse styles,” Wang told Shenzhen Daily.

She said that when practicing the repertoire, she found mastering musicality to be quite challenging. To grasp the emotions conveyed in the music, she extensively listened to recordings by various musicians. “I discovered that singing or humming while playing helps me achieve the desired expression. I also perceive music as a form of storytelling,” she shared.

“For example, the second movement of Beethoven’s ‘Piano Sonata No. 7 in D Major, Op. 10, No. 3’ evokes a profound sense of sadness, reminiscent of my recent experience with the passing of my grandmother. In other instances, I would think of the plight of animals fleeing wildfires or the suffering of polar bears due to melting glaciers. I put these feelings into my music. As I continue to grow and accumulate life experiences, I look forward to incorporating them into my narratives and expressing them through my music.”

Wang began to learn the piano at age 3 from Chinese professor Wu Zijie. When she studied abroad at age 11, she was instructed by Dr. Marc Silverman, director of Piano Department of Manhattan School of Music. Now she is learning with professor Soyeon Kate Lee from The Juilliard School. 

Sarah Wang performs at the Shenzhen Concert Hall’s Steinway Garden on July 28. Photos courtesy of the organizer 

“Dr. Silverman recognizes my potential and always encourages me. My current teacher, Lee, has a great impact on both my playing style and comprehension of music. She addresses many aspects of music, from small technical details to grasping the larger musical picture. Lee told me stories about how composers like Bach perceived the world, which helps me a lot in understanding music and breathing life into the music,” expressed Wang.

Since age 6, Wang has won piano awards at various domestic and international competitions, including the Shanghai regional contests of the International Franz Liszt Piano Competition for Young Pianists (2019) and the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition for Children and Youth (2018, 2020) and the Miami International Piano Competition (2022).

On July 14, Wang held a recital at the prestigious Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. “The concert was a life-changing experience for me. Having the opportunity to perform in the concert hall of China’s most renowned music school and follow in the footsteps of many famous musicians was a dream come true. I hope to have the chance to perform there again in the future,” said Wang.

Wang said one of her idols is German pianist Alice Sara Ott and she loves to listen to her recording of Beethoven’s third piano concerto. She admires how Ott manages to perform with such passion even though she is struggling with multiple sclerosis as it includes loss of muscle control. “It is really impressive that in such a condition, she has overcome her challenges and this has given me encouragement to face my own challenges,” said Wang.

With hobbies such as reading and writing, Wang is about to finish writing an English novel. As for the future, she hopes not only to become an outstanding pianist who can perform on stage but also use her influence and academic skills to contribute to society, such as engaging in environmental protection and helping people in need. The July 28 concert was also dedicated to environmental protection. 

She also looks forward to entering her dream universities such as Harvard or Cambridge to continue exploring and expanding her horizons in fields such as science, environment and humanities. “I will try to use high technologies to combine music with the sounds of nature, allowing everyone to appreciate the beauty of nature. As a Shenzhen girl, I will do my best to promote environmental projects in the city, such as mangrove conservation and coral protection.”

The concert was hosted by CSI Smart Painting Materials (Changsha Biaolangzhugong Technology Co. Ltd.) and organized by Steinway Gallery (Shenzhen). Wang also performed Aug. 2 at Changsha Concert Hall in Changsha, Hunan Province.