Tiffany Poon

[cinnamon21]

Hello everyone.

Has any of you watched her in the preliminary round of Chopin Competition 2015? I've seen a lot of prodigies but she is like the queen of prodigies...fluid technique and expressive without being excessive and jerky...She just doesn't give me the vibe of child prodigies, more like a mature artist in the making...I wonder how she gets such natural technique...everything just flows.

[ianzilla]

she's brilliant, one of my favorites in the chopin competition! Also, aristo sham! 

[kevonthegreatpianist]

yundi li is my fav...dunno if he still competes tho

[chopinlover01]

yundi li is my fav...dunno if he still competes tho

He won in 2000. Why would he compete?

[mjames]

"Did anyone else see George? He's just amazing. I mean everyone here is amazing, but George is something else!"

"AImi Kobayashi is just otherworldly. I mean, everyone here is great and all, but Kobayashi is just a steps ahead of everyone else..."

etc etc etc

Another reason why treating music as a sport is stupid as ***. I love the fact that there are so many great musicians gathered at one place at the same time, but I also hate the fact that they have to go through these ridiculous shenanigans in order to make a name for themselves. 

[cinnamon21]

"Did anyone else see George? He's just amazing. I mean everyone here is amazing, but George is something else!"

"AImi Kobayashi is just otherworldly. I mean, everyone here is great and all, but Kobayashi is just a steps ahead of everyone else..."

etc etc etc

Another reason why treating music as a sport is stupid as ***. I love the fact that there are so many great musicians gathered at one place at the same time, but I also hate the fact that they have to go through these ridiculous shenanigans in order to make a name for themselves. 

Yea true. I'm not a fan of competitions myself....I prefer recitals and festivals! But I guess it's inevitable for musicians...you can only be regarded as 'someone' when you win something like this (correct me if I'm wrong). I have certainly seen extremely good pianists who don't do any competitions...and winners whose playing are just 'meh'. I see 'winning this winning that' in their biography and at the end of their performances, I feel nothing. They have a reputation of being good pianists but I can't help but think that they're 'better' because they start out early than everyone else (again correct me if I'm wrong).

Anyway, I just love the way she plays. It's intense and passionate, yet calm and effortless.

[kevonthegreatpianist]

He won in 2000. Why would he compete?

Because why not?

[28843253]

Her repertoire list is staggering. Technically immaculate as well. Her chopin is just a pleasure to listen to. Probably among the top 10 globally for her age. I, being only a lowly amateur am in awe.

[chopinlover01]

Because why not?

Because losing a competition like that, one he already won, would be bad for his reputation and career.

[kevonthegreatpianist]

Because losing a competition like that, one he already won, would be bad for his reputation and career.

ya that makes sense

Being a young pianist and all, I would join the Chopin competition for fun. I haven't debuted anywhere yet and I'm not an advanced pianist. I have played some of Chopin's Etudes, Nocturnes, and Preludes, some of Beethoven and Mozart Sonatas, a few Bach fugues, and a little Debussy, but I don't think I'm advanced enough to be declared the Chopin Award or something (I made that up). If I competed in the competition, I would probably play the Waltz in a minor or a Prelude in e minor :). And the reason I want to compete for fun and not for money because I want to enjoy the last of childhood. My childhood is fading away rapidly and that's not a good thing. I know I'm only 12, but I feel that my child-like features are almost gone. Blowing bubbles out of milk? That's bullshit. Playing Minecraft? Screw that. So I want to join just for fun and fail terribly and probably the first note wrong. Of course, I'll practice.

[sashaco]

Probably among the top 10 globally for her age. I, being only a lowly amateur am in awe.

Does this seem a bit over qualified?

[28843253]

Does this seem a bit over qualified?

She plays 3 of the 4 ballades, Op 22, the barcarolle, two scherzi and sonata b flat minor for chopin, not to mention an impressively long list of works by liszt, beethoven, bach, mozart and haydn. Several concerti too! Given her execution thus far in the competition, I think top 10 global for current 18 year olds and under is not a big stretch.

[j_menz]

I think top 10 global for current 18 year olds and under is not a big stretch.

I'm not sure "rank the Chopin pianists" is much better than "rank the Chopin etudes". 

[david456103]

tiffany poon is my favorite emerging pianist - everything about her playing is perfect

[michael_sayers]

Hello everyone.

Has any of you watched her in the preliminary round of Chopin Competition 2015? I've seen a lot of prodigies but she is like the queen of prodigies...fluid technique and expressive without being excessive and jerky...She just doesn't give me the vibe of child prodigies, more like a mature artist in the making...I wonder how she gets such natural technique...everything just flows.

I haven't watched.  She is a fine pianist.  I am planning to catch up on all of this (and the Tchaikovsky 2015) on Youtube.


Mvh,
Michael

[maxwebr]

I was extremely impressed with George Li. I have been watching his progression since he was 10. Amazing pianist. His performance was on a new level, I think he will do quite well in the competition.

[blackonwhite]

My favorites from the competition were
Tiffany poon, Dmitry Shishken (3rd place at Busoni competition),George li, Zi xu, and Kausikan rajeshkumar

[suethemoon]

Personally I find she has questionable interpretation in certain places (ballade 1 for example), but still has many great things (chopin etude 10 .
Please do correct me if I'm wrong, but I just feel many of the marketed piano prodigies don't have enough international competition experience where it's much different atmosphere to the countless concerts they have performed. There are many powerhouses within the competition that already experience through multiple international competitions that show great maturity in their playing and perform in a higher level of technique such as Cho SeongJin, Ning Yuen Li, Charles-Hamelin, Han ChiHo etc.
Regardless, hope this competition will deliver a high level just as previous years~

[j_menz]

Please do correct me if I'm wrong, but I just feel many of the marketed piano prodigies don't have enough international competition experience

Too much, more likely. And happy to oblige.

[sashaco]

She plays 3 of the 4 ballades, Op 22, the barcarolle, two scherzi and sonata b flat minor for chopin, not to mention an impressively long list of works by liszt, beethoven, bach, mozart and haydn. Several concerti too! Given her execution thus far in the competition, I think top 10 global for current 18 year olds and under is not a big stretch.

You have misunderstood me.  I did not write, "Does this seem overly high praise?"  I wrote, "Does this seem over-qualified?"  My point was that she is so obviously a very fine player of Chopin that to write "probably" and "among the top ten" and "
for her age" is almost damning with faint praise.

[28843253]

You have misunderstood me.  I did not write, "Does this seem overly high praise?"  I wrote, "Does this seem over-qualified?"  My point was that she is so obviously a very fine player of Chopin that to write "probably" and "among the top ten" and "
for her age" is almost damning with faint praise.

It appears my grasp of the finer points of the english language is rather poorer than what I might have liked. The ability of her fellow prodigies should not be underestimated Then again, I have little experience with the capabilities of musical prodigies so a more conservative statement was my intention.

[rubinsteinmad]

I think these competitions are a little wierd  (But not the Chopin competition )

For example, the Cliburn and Cliburn Junior competitions. The best (by far) competitor in my opinion was eliminated following the semifinal round. Maybe it's because she was from Curtis and most of the judges were from Juilliard. None were from Curtis. Practically everyone knows that Juillard piano alumni have a thing against Curtis piano alumni...

So, people chose to heavily criticize her Brahms Paganini Variations by saying that the touch was not heavy enough. Which is kind of weird, because if that piece was played heavy, it would sound really boring and ugly. I've heard that piece MANY TIMES and my butt hurt because it was too long and boring. But she actually played it pretty!

OK. Well, Tiffany Poon is REALLY GOOD! George Li, is very good too! But not as precise. I think that his Etude Op. 10 #4 was kind of messy for an int'l competition, especially because he is already practically an adult. Still, it's better than me (obviously), but not as good as Poon.

[sabtan]

Anybody else like Josh Wright??

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRIt589ykUw

Think he's the winner of the Chopin competition 2015...

[cinnamon21]

Josh Wright seems like a helpful and kind person. I watch a lot of his tutorials on YouTube but have not seen his performance at the competition. I wonder how they'd decide the winner...all of them are so good...

[rubinsteinmad]

Josh Wright seems like a helpful and kind person. I watch a lot of his tutorials on YouTube but have not seen his performance at the competition. I wonder how they'd decide the winner...all of them are so good...

In the Cliburn competition, they do it by being political 

[chopinlover01]

Josh wright didn't make it internationally, much to my dismay. He took 5th prize in the the USA Chopin competition, as well as prize for best mazurka.
He's one of my more favorite pianists, especially young pianists, especially with the fact that he's willing to share all of his secrets.

[werq34ac]

ya that makes sense

Being a young pianist and all, I would join the Chopin competition for fun. I haven't debuted anywhere yet and I'm not an advanced pianist. I have played some of Chopin's Etudes, Nocturnes, and Preludes, some of Beethoven and Mozart Sonatas, a few Bach fugues, and a little Debussy, but I don't think I'm advanced enough to be declared the Chopin Award or something (I made that up). If I competed in the competition, I would probably play the Waltz in a minor or a Prelude in e minor . And the reason I want to compete for fun and not for money because I want to enjoy the last of childhood. My childhood is fading away rapidly and that's not a good thing. I know I'm only 12, but I feel that my child-like features are almost gone. Blowing bubbles out of milk? That's bullshit. Playing Minecraft? Screw that. So I want to join just for fun and fail terribly and probably the first note wrong. Of course, I'll practice.

The Chopin competition requires you to play some quite advanced repertoire... Also, I think they have an audition process just to be able to compete, and I can't imagine that's an easy audition to pass.

[rubinsteinmad]

OK. Well, Tiffany Poon is REALLY GOOD! George Li, is very good too! But not as precise. I think that his Etude Op. 10 #4 was kind of messy for an int'l competition, especially because he is already practically an adult. Still, it's better than me (obviously), but not as good as Poon.

take it back! Take it back! George Li just won 2nd at Tchaikovsky Competition! And when I listened to his La CAmpanella and his Chopin Variations Op. 2, I know shy

[blackonwhite]

Guys George LI just won 2nd place at the Tchaikovsky competition and I think his liszt at the competition was pretty amazing if that doesn't sway your choices.

[pytheamateur]

Josh Wright seems like a helpful and kind person. I watch a lot of his tutorials on YouTube but have not seen his performance at the competition. I wonder how they'd decide the winner...all of them are so good...

I saw his performance on the official competition website.  I thought h was a bit heavy at places.

[suethemoon]

take it back! Take it back! George Li just won 2nd at Tchaikovsky Competition! And when I listened to his La CAmpanella and his Chopin Variations Op. 2, I know shy

Without a doubt, George played far better in the Tchaikovsky Competition than his Chopin audition (maybe nerves considering its the first audition?).
His octaves are truely breathtaking in Liszt Hungarian rhapsody 2, tchaik 1 etc

[kevonthegreatpianist]

The Chopin competition requires you to play some quite advanced repertoire... Also, I think they have an audition process just to be able to compete, and I can't imagine that's an easy audition to pass.

oh

The hardest Chopin pieces I played are:

-Nocturne Op.37 No.2
-Nocturne Op.48 No.1
-Nocturne Op.62 No.2
-Etude Op.10 No.9
-Etude Op.25 No.7
-Etude in f minor (1839)
-Prelude Op.28 No.8
-Prelude Op.28 No.16
-Mazurka Op.50 No.2
-Mazurka Op.56 No.3
-Mazurka in D Major (1820)
-Mazurka in C Major (1833)
-Mazurka in a minor (1840)

Do you think I can get in?

[outin]

oh

The hardest Chopin pieces I played are:

-Nocturne Op.37 No.2
-Nocturne Op.48 No.1
-Nocturne Op.62 No.2
-Etude Op.10 No.9
-Etude Op.25 No.7
-Etude in f minor (1839)
-Prelude Op.28 No.8
-Prelude Op.28 No.16
-Mazurka Op.50 No.2
-Mazurka Op.56 No.3
-Mazurka in D Major (1820)
-Mazurka in C Major (1833)
-Mazurka in a minor (1840)

Do you think I can get in?

But you do realize that it's HOW you play just as much as WHAT you play?
You'll need a big piece like a sonata and a concerto as well, in case you go on to the semifinals/semifinals

[kevonthegreatpianist]

But you do realize that it's HOW you play just as much as WHAT you play?
You'll need a big piece like a sonata and a concerto as well, in case you go on to the semifinals/semifinals

I'm working on these songs.

[pytheamateur]

I'm working on these songs.

. Make sure you get the lyrics right.  I'd stick to English if I were you; that's always a safe choice in the Eurovision Song Contest.

[le_poete_mourant]

oh

The hardest Chopin pieces I played are:

-Nocturne Op.37 No.2
-Nocturne Op.48 No.1
-Nocturne Op.62 No.2
-Etude Op.10 No.9
-Etude Op.25 No.7
-Etude in f minor (1839)
-Prelude Op.28 No.8
-Prelude Op.28 No.16
-Mazurka Op.50 No.2
-Mazurka Op.56 No.3
-Mazurka in D Major (1820)
-Mazurka in C Major (1833)
-Mazurka in a minor (1840)

Do you think I can get in?

if you're asking us, then the answer is probably 'no.'

[alistaircrane4]

oh

The hardest Chopin pieces I played are:

-Nocturne Op.37 No.2
-Nocturne Op.48 No.1
-Nocturne Op.62 No.2
-Etude Op.10 No.9
-Etude Op.25 No.7
-Etude in f minor (1839)
-Prelude Op.28 No.8
-Prelude Op.28 No.16
-Mazurka Op.50 No.2
-Mazurka Op.56 No.3
-Mazurka in D Major (1820)
-Mazurka in C Major (1833)
-Mazurka in a minor (1840)

Do you think I can get in?

No.

[mjames]

oh

The hardest Chopin pieces I played are:

-Nocturne Op.37 No.2
-Nocturne Op.48 No.1
-Nocturne Op.62 No.2
-Etude Op.10 No.9
-Etude Op.25 No.7
-Etude in f minor (1839)
-Prelude Op.28 No.8
-Prelude Op.28 No.16
-Mazurka Op.50 No.2
-Mazurka Op.56 No.3
-Mazurka in D Major (1820)
-Mazurka in C Major (1833)
-Mazurka in a minor (1840)

Do you think I can get in?

It's not the kind of competition where you can just sign up and 'voila', you qualified for the preliminaries. The requirements for you to even be CONSIDERED is that you should already have a well-built reputation, history of winning high awards in other competitions, and recommendations from reputable pianists/teachers. You are going up against a group of severely talented and hardworking individuals and to think that you're even considering it based on 'what you've' played says a lot of about your ego.

Dream big kid, but don't be stupid. It'll take years of hard work for you to even quailfy for the PRELIMINARIES.  

[pencilart3]

Kevon are you not 12 years old? And you're trying to get in to the Chopin Competition already? I want to play in it too, someday (of course). But you start by playing difficult pieces and playing them WELL, learning about technique, theory, and musicality etc etc... then if you have done all that you apply when you're ~20 years old. You don't need to start scheming about how to get in now!

[schumaniac]

oh

The hardest Chopin pieces I played are:

-Nocturne Op.37 No.2
-Nocturne Op.48 No.1
-Nocturne Op.62 No.2
-Etude Op.10 No.9
-Etude Op.25 No.7
-Etude in f minor (1839)
-Prelude Op.28 No.8
-Prelude Op.28 No.16
-Mazurka Op.50 No.2
-Mazurka Op.56 No.3
-Mazurka in D Major (1820)
-Mazurka in C Major (1833)
-Mazurka in a minor (1840)

Do you think I can get in?

Not really. You probably need to learn a sonata, some scherzi, polonaises... (I'm not super sure)
But you do have the three etudes in a row, a "big nocturne" (op. 48)- also, op. 28 no. 8 and 16 are EXTREMELY hard to play. Programming a mazurka group is also a nice way to show your "expression" and sense of rhythm. So you can probably  do other competitions to boost your reputation (maybe even do the National Chopin Competition if you're in the US?)... You have the chance!

[aokggyy]

most people in the competition are the top competitor in their region. Just looking at their bio.

[comtedemontec]

All the people here who have commented so positively about Tiffany Poon were WRONG. She was eliminated in stage 1 of the Chopin piano competition. There has been some comment that her playing is "bombastic" but also   it is not  technically perfect. For example,  in the Chopin Ballade in the Preliminaries of the competition she makes several mistakes.

[briansaddleback]

I didnt think anything special about her play as well. Wasn't surprised she did not make the second round ..just figured she had a biased following here so just didnt say anything about the 'outstanding' comments about her.

[le_poete_mourant]

All the people here who have commented so positively about Tiffany Poon were WRONG. She was eliminated in stage 1 of the Chopin piano competition. There has been some comment that her playing is "bombastic" but also   it is not  technically perfect. For example,  in the Chopin Ballade in the Preliminaries of the competition she makes several mistakes.

What a fatuous comment. Being eliminated from a competition does not a bad pianist make. Ivo Pogorelich was cut in round 1 of the 1980 Warsaw competition. I'm sure you think everyone who liked him was wrong also? And god forbid anyone make "several mistakes." I have no dog in this fight, but please don't clutter this forum with such asinine posts in the future.

[undine]

Pogorelich was eliminated in round 3 not round 1.

[le_poete_mourant]

whatever. you see my point.

[shostglass]

whatever. you see my point.

Yes we see your point but going from the 3rd to the 1st round is a very big leap.

[undine]

Yes we see your point but going from the 3rd to the 1st round is a very big leap.

Indeed 

[dratinistar]

oh

The hardest Chopin pieces I played are:

-Nocturne Op.37 No.2
-Nocturne Op.48 No.1
-Nocturne Op.62 No.2
-Etude Op.10 No.9
-Etude Op.25 No.7
-Etude in f minor (1839)
-Prelude Op.28 No.8
-Prelude Op.28 No.16
-Mazurka Op.50 No.2
-Mazurka Op.56 No.3
-Mazurka in D Major (1820)
-Mazurka in C Major (1833)
-Mazurka in a minor (1840)

Do you think I can get in?

Why don't you look at the requirements on their website? I'm already preparing for the next one in 5 years lol better ready even though I don't decide to apply