Joyce Yang

If you haven't seen her play the piano, you really need to. She's unbelievable! There were times when it looked/sounded as if she had more than 10 fingers! Hmm... maybe she does. Bob and I were sitting at the bottom tier of theVanTrease Performing Arts Center but we were still quite a few seats away from the stage :-)
Joyce Yang is critically acclaimed as "the most gifted young pianist of the generation". She's only 23 but has played the piano since the age of 4, when she received her first piano lesson from her aunt. In 2005, she grabbed international attention when she became the Silver Medalist of the 12th Van Cliburn International competition.
Anyhow, she was in Tulsa with the Signature Symphony of Tulsa at Tulsa Community College this past Saturday. She performed the Concerto for Piano No. # in d minor, Opus 30 - composed by Russian's Sergei Rachmaninoff, whom at his time was a supreme pianist and an admired composer.
Dressed in a bright pink, long dress, Joyce sat in front of the big Steinway grand piano and started playing - with no music sheets! She probably played more notes than I have in 2-3 years! Bob thinks it's more like 5 years!... with her eyes closed most of the time no less! There were times when she would crouch above the keys, shoulders hunched over, and she would have this expression on her face - with her cheeks sucked in like she was sucking on a sour drop. She looked so cute! And then, she would occasionally look up at the conductor to make sure everyone was synchronized. Her fingers just flowed up and down the piano... it was mesmerizing! So much so I think the lady in front of me feel asleep! Ha ha! She was an elderly lady so maybe that was her excuse.
If Joyce Yang is ever in your neighborhood, she's definitely a must-see!