On Saturday, 8th of July 2023, Steinway Gallery Indonesia hosted the first Indonesia Steinway Youth Piano Competition Winners’ Concert. Opening this concert edition was a very fitting young pianist: Jennifer Chrysantha. Originally from Surabaya, Jennifer won the first prize for the very first Indonesia Steinway Youth Piano Competition back in 2012.
Jennifer opened the afternoon recital with Liszt Ballade in B minor. In Jennifer’s own program notes, she wrote that ‘this tragic ballade has no explicit programme attached to it. However, it was frequently associated with the greek myth of the Hero and the Leander. In this tale, Leander, a young man, fell in love with the Hero. Every night he swims across the sea to reach Hero who lives in a tower across the sea. However, on a stormy night Leander loss his way and drowned in the ocean. When Hero saw Leander’s dead body, she threw herself from the tower and took her own life.’
The tragic ballade was followed by Beethoven’s Sonata Op. 31 No. 3 and Chopin’s popular Sonata No. 2. Many famous pianists from around Jakarta were in attendance of the concert, including Jennifer’s former teacher Iswargia Soedarno (Jakarta Conservatory of Music), Randy Ryan, and Dr. Mario Santoso. In Dr. Mario’s Instagram Story, he wrote that Jennifer’s playing had a beautiful singing line.
At the moment, Jennifer is finishing up her bachelor’s degree at Cleveland Institute of Music under the tutelage of Antonio Pompa Baldi. We look forward with excitement for what her future brings to her.
Steinway Gallery Indonesia will also be hosting several more ISYPC winners concert in the upcoming months. Stay tuned to our social media as the 7th ISYPC will be announced soon!
