Recognized for his eloquently expressive depth of interpretation and seamless technique, pianist Jason Sia presents a captivating program spanning French impressionism, Romantic lyricism, and dazzling 20th-century virtuosity. Mr. Sia has performed throughout the United States, Europe, Central America, and Asia, including appearances at New York’s Carnegie Hall.
The program opens with Poème: A Song Without Words by Carmencita Guanzon Arambulo, a lyrical and intimate work of quiet nostalgia, followed by Claude Debussy’s radiant L’isle joyeuse, shimmering with color, rhythmic vitality, and a sense of ecstatic freedom. A moment of poetic reflection follows with the Larghetto from Frédéric Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2, presented in a refined solo transcription by Carl Reinecke, offering one of Chopin’s most tender and operatic melodies.
At the heart of the program is Maurice Ravel’s Gaspard de la nuit, a monumental and haunting triptych inspired by the prose poems of Aloysius Bertrand. Widely regarded as one of the most technically demanding works in the piano repertoire, it conjures vivid imagery: the seductive water nymph in Ondine, the desolate tolling of Le gibet, and the demonic, electrifying virtuosity of Scarbo, a tour de force of pianistic brilliance and imagination.
The program culminates in the exhilarating Grand Fantasy on Gershwin’s Opera ‘Porgy and Bess’ by George Gershwin, brilliantly reimagined by virtuoso pianist Earl Wild. This electrifying paraphrase transforms Gershwin’s iconic melodies into a dazzling showcase of color, rhythm, and virtuosity—blending jazz, opera, and classical traditions into a thrilling and triumphant conclusion.
For more information, please visit www.jasonsia.com