The Twinkle Project in Review
Mozart “Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman” Variations, KV 265: Six Sets of Video Performances by Solomon Mikowsky and Piano Students (including Alumni and MSM Faculty)
Original idea by Ahmed Alom (BM student), Administrative Director and Coordinator
Joseph Patrych, Technical Supervisor; Asaf Blasberg, Videographer
March 2021
Pianophiles everywhere, take heed! If you’ve ever thought there is “one way” to play Mozart, or if you’d like to explore multiple styles and approaches but without combing the Internet, you have a treat in store! All on one webpage (The Twinkle Project) at the Manhattan School of Music website, there are six video compilations dedicated to what is called The Twinkle Project, including performances by 50 pianists (though the website states the count is 47), each playing a variation (or two or three of the twelve) from Mozart’s famous Variations for Piano, K. 265, on “Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman” (the French folk song from which the “Twinkle, Twinkle” tune was taken a half a century later). It is a mammoth project, a feat of organization and collaboration, and a moving and awe-inspiring celebration to see and hear fifty pianists of diverse ages, nations, and styles, uniting in tribute to Mozart, with the common ground being their association with the Manhattan School of Music – in particular with master teacher Solomon Mikowsky, who himself performs the theme for each set.
As Mr. Mikowsky states on the website: “When my gifted piano student, Ahmed Alom (BM ’21), alerted me to his idea of a video-recording of Mozart’s “Twinkle” variations performed in collaboration with 11 of his classmates, I immediately realized that this project would be an ideal vehicle for an expression of gratitude to the school to which we all owe so much: MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC! Shortly afterwards, I decided to expand it to also encompass many alumni, including the seven current members of MSM’s piano faculty. This has allowed me to renew contacts with students who studied with me from as far back as 51 years ago: more than 5 decades!” He continues to say, “The most rewarding aspect of this MSM multi-pianist collaboration is the inspiration provided by the great composer, making the participants realize anew Mozart’s genius and the artistic challenge that performing 16 measures of his music entails.”
Indeed, anyone who has ever said “it’s as easy as Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” (referring to the nursery song) probably does not know Mozart’s twelve scintillating piano variations on this theme (published in 1785), and the wide range of techniques and expression that this work encompasses. A perfect pandemic project for an assemblage of conservatory pianists performing virtually from locations all over the world, it was completed March 2021, under the guidance of recording veteran Joseph Patrych, with videographer Asaf Blasberg. It remains available at the link above, a testament to resiliency of musicians during the pandemic and of loyalty to their teacher, colleague, and alma mater. As cheerful as much of the Mozart composition is, one may need a box of tissues while watching these pianists, some in slippers, playing on instruments ranging from at-home electronic keyboards to uprights and grands, some clearly borrowed, some by necessity untuned, and all coping valiantly despite the blows of pandemic lockdowns and quarantines.
Having been assigned to review this project, I faced several challenges. Clearly there is no way to address thoroughly all fifty pianists on six separate videos (with some overlap among them), so there will be just brief mentions of some highights; all fifty pianists, however, are listed at the end of this review.
Also challenging was the issue of the very premise, which Mr. Mikowsky himself addressed, asking, “Can both unity and variety be established with this number of performers …?” Well, to riff on the famously simplistic definition of musical “variations” as a work in which “something is constantly the same throughout (the theme) and something is constantly different (the treatment of it),” this collaboration was naturally destined to feature more of the “different” aspect than the unity – and that is just fine. The recognizability of “Twinkle, Twinkle” guarantees that no listener can lose the thread (so a good choice of theme!). Furthermore, as we hear pianists from Australia, Bulgaria, China, Cuba, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece, Israel, Korea, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Taiwan, Ukraine, and the USA, playing a single piece, the spirit of this entire project emerges as one of “e pluribus unum” – a very moving experience.
Opening with the “Twinkle” theme, octagenarian Solomon Mikowsky demonstrates that his ability to perform is clearly undiminished, and with his meticulous portato articulation he sets a stately tone. Alumni Jie Yuan and Kookhee Hong follow expertly, maximizing the expressiveness of highpoints while retaining the flow. Alumna Yoon Lee takes the most liberties with time so far, with what might be called a more Romantic approach, and it is welcome. Inesa Sinkevych, projects the next variation with more driving metric precision and energy, still with considerable variety for such a short segment, and Chi-Ying Hung,brings polish and nuance in all regards, letting Mozart’s wit shine through.
Simone Dinnerstein dazzles in Variation 6, with light and fleet fingerwork (as many know from her Bach Goldberg Variations recording), and Kyu Yeon Kim is also brilliant, with attention to the character of each detail bringing spirit and personality to Variation 7. Bai Yang‘s 8th Variation has a delightful mischievous quality to it, interesting especially in comparison with José Ramón Mendez who takes a more solemn approach – both convincing! Ren Zhang delivers the 9th variation with easy mastery and a beautiful ritardando at the end – as several do – which raises the recurring question as to whether that’s a drawback of having multiple performers share a piece (one player’s turn is coming to a close, hence a ritard is natural, but then the piece continues, so it perhaps oughtn’t to wind down thirteen times). In any case, this project must be experienced differently. So, onward to Variation 10, we see Adam Kent, sporting a Mozartean white wig (and listed in one caption as Adam “Adameus” Kent!) just in time to remind us that, despite his highly professional music-making, this is all in the spirit of fun!
To follow, the absolutely meltingly beautiful Variation 11 is made more so in the hands of Yuan Sheng, who creates such a spell that one might forget to look at the score and realize that one reason that his ornaments sound so utterly graceful is that they are largely his own. Mastery follows mastery with Alexandre Moutouzkine‘s final variation, made more interesting with some featuring of alternating registers in an almost stereophonic effect – a fittingly rousing close!
Three encores are included in the first video, starting with Aaron Shorr playing his own “Alla Diabelli e Leporello” (inspired by Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations). It is an inventive classical tribute and is played here with flair. The second encore, for piano and orchestra (here the Havana Lyceum Orchestra), is entitled “Mozart Dreaming of Havana.” It starts with Simone Dinnerstein playing Mozart’s Sonata in G, K. 279, then fading and developing with the orchestra into a dreamlike fusion of Mozart and Cuban popular song, with various orchestral section leaders taking turns at solos. It is a wonderfully spirited and fitting tribute to Mozart, Cuba, and to Mr. Mikowsky’s Cuban roots, which have a great influence on his students. Under that same Latin influence, the third encore is a song called “Mojito” sung in Chinese by Mr. Mikowsky’s doctoral student Jiayin Li, whom I had the pleasure of reviewing in her piano recital in late January. Not only is it extraordinary to hear her versatility of instrument and style, but her singing has an infectiously playful spirit that could “win the Internet” as they say. I’d recommend grabbing a mojito and hearing it. Smiles are guaranteed.
Time limitations will keep the following video summaries shorter, but suffice it to say that in the second video (which is called “set 1” in the upper left corner, all the videos being labeled differently on the site from the captions), we hear more nicely refined phrases from Aaron Shorr, humorous Beethovenian bursts of sound from Yoni Levyatov, some well-projected offbeat melodies from Edward Neeman, and a lovingly rendered Variation 11 from Charis Dimaras. Mr. Dimaras seems so well suited to its pensive quality (like Yuan Sheng), just as Peter Fancovic seems ideal for the grand final variation, that one starts to wonder how the musical “casting” was done. If there is not a musical version of Casting Central, there ought to be one, and a good teacher can fill that role, which may be what has happened here.
By the time one hears the third video (called “Set 2” in the captions), one can be overwhelmed with emotion by some of the out-of-tune instruments and trials that one knows are facing these fine players. We hear impressive playing from all, but notable are the attention to detail from Gloria Lin, the authoritative precision from Olga Vinokur, the nicely sustained lines from Chun Wang, and the almost operatic phrasing from Kyriakos Sourollas. Emily White‘s Variation 6 is brilliant, but she resists excesses of speed, with a moderation of tempo that allows one to experience the details fully. Clarity of imitative entrances marks the playing of Willany Darias, very musical and unselfconscious. Tapered edges and elegance characterize the performance of Elina Christova who follows. Just as one is marveling at the kaleidoscopic range of qualities among all of these pianists, we hear Audrey Axinn who has not only freely ornamented Variation 11 but has practically rewritten it. One might feel a yen to hear a more straightforward reading if this were a single-pianist performance of the entire piece, but as it follows multiple readings of the same music, it comes as a fascinating refreshment. Yungwook Yoo displays tremendous finger technique in the final variation. Capping off the video is a fantastic encore played by (and one assumes composed by) Jennifer Chu. Entitled “Mozart in Havana” (and dedicated to Mr M’s hometown) it is essentially the “Twinkle” melody cleverly set over a Cuban beat. It is wonderful to see such spirit and such “thinking outside the box” especially in a time of being relegated to living in boxes!
The fourth video (called “Set 3” in the captions) brings some more current students, and all were excellent. Some standouts include Daniel Hart with nice offbeat phrasing as the music invites, Zoe Pian-Chowdhury who finds room to be personal and expressive where it is not easy to do so, plus the fiery Jiayin Li and very sensitive Sophiko Simsive. Ahmed Alom, whose brainchild this all was, finishes the set in fine style, followed by that fabulous “Mojito” encore again!
The fifth video (called “Set 4” in the captions) features MSM faculty and alumni, and one can only think how inspiring it must be for their current students of these pianists to see and hear. After another theme by Mr. Mikowsky, we hear the commanding playing of Elena Belli followed by more wizardry from Alexander Moutouzkine (including some devilishly tricky ornaments). Daniela Bracchi, Inesa Sinkevych, and Robin Freund-Epstein all uphold a high standard, and the energies of Jiayin Li and Adam Kent enliven it all.
In the sixth and final video (“Set 5” in the captions) we hear several pianists we’ve heard already, including Jie Yuan, Simone Dinnerstein, who now adds Variations 7 and 8, showing her more lyrical gifts (along with the previously heard Variation 6), Yuan Sheng, who shows a heartier side in Variation 4 (as well as the previously heard Variation 11), and Ren Zheng, with his crisp and taut Variation 9. In and amongst these performances also we hear some enchanting trills from Po-Wei Ger in Variation 3, and a very young Pre-college student, Eleni Moon, playing Variation 5. It is especially heartening to see the youngest generation taking up the tradition, as it bodes very well for the future of music.
In addition (we knew someone was missing!) we hear Wael Farouk, whom I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing on several occasions and who continues to be a joy to hear. He brings life to Variations 2, 10 (including some special ornamentation), and a grand No. 12 to cap off the entire project.
Congratulations are in order to everyone involved! Congratulations to Solomon Mikowsky on this astonishing array of very individual talents, congratulations to those organizing and recording it all, and congratulations to MSM!
The complete listing of performers alphabetically is (not including Solomon Mikowsky, who played the theme): Ahmed Alom, Audrey Axinn, Elena Belli, Daniela Bracchi, Elina Christova, Jennifer Chu, Willany Darias, Charis Dimaras, Simone Dinnerstein, Peter Fancovic, Ruiqi Fang, Wael Farouk, Robin Freund-Epstein, Po-Wei Ger, Erica Guo, Daniel Hart, Kookhee Hong, Chi-Ying Hung, Tzu-Wei Kang, Adam Kent, Kyu Yeon Kim, Tatuka Kutsnashvili, Mijung Lee, Yoon Lee, Yoni Levyatov, Jiayin Li, Gloria Lin, Sining Liu, José Ramón Mendez, Eleni Moon, Alexandre Moutouzkine, Edward Neeman, Zoe Pian-Chowdhury, Yuan Sheng, Aaron Shorr, Sophiko Simsive, Inesa Sinkevych, Kyriakos Sourollas, Olga Vinokur, Chun Wang, Emily White, Hangli Wu, Jojo Yan, Bai Yang, Yungwook Yoo, Julian Yu, Jie Yuan, WeiWei Zhai, and Ren Zhang.
