Since winning third prize at the 17th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw in 2015, Kate Liu has enjoyed unwavering popularity with Polish audiences. The pianist, known for her intimate, sublime sound, is a frequent guest at concert halls in the capital.
Fryderyk Chopin's Three Mazurkas, Op. 59, composed in 1845, represent the composer's pinnacle achievement in this genre – they are works full of tension, drama and melancholy, whose expression is enhanced by contrasts in tempo, mood and harmony. Kate Liu's interpretations of these inconspicuous pieces have often delighted audiences, earning her the award for best interpretation of mazurkas at the 2015 Competition. The Sonata in B flat minor, Op. 35, from 1839, is a testament to the Polish composer's maturity in his approach to cyclical forms. Its third movement, the famous Funeral March has played a special role in the collective consciousness.
Alexander Scriabin's Sonata No. 2 in G sharp minor, Op. 19, from 1898, is the expression of the composer's fascination with the sea observed at night from the coast – initially calm and peaceful, and in the finale – violent and turbulent.
The American pianist's performance will be crowned by César Franck's Prélude, choral et fugue, a piece from 1884, which gained fame thanks to Luchino Visconti's film Vaghe stelle dell'Orsa (Sandra).