Since making his debut at age 11, the Malaysian-born Tengku Irfan, now 22, already boasts a decade of performing experience. Yet, this distinguished AMFS alumnus is much more than simply a triple-threat pianist, composer, and conductor.
Mr. Tengku displays a maturity beyond his years, especially when it comes to choosing his programs. His intelligent and daring selections showcase both his technical virtuosity and innate musical sensitivity.
Mr. Tengku’s wide-ranging Aspen repertoire starts and ends with a bang! The Sixth Piano Sonata of Ustvolskaya—the ingenious Russian composer and student of Shostakovich—opens the program with a physical explosion of sound.
Closing the program is Villa-Lobos’s Rudepoêma, widely considered among the most technically difficult works for the piano. Dedicated to famed pianist Arthur Rubinstein, few dare to tackle this daunting composition in front of a live audience.
In between the fireworks are moments of pure beauty. Chopin’s Mazurka in C-sharp minor, op. 50, no. 3, and Nocturne in E major, op. 62, no. 2, are among the composer’s most beloved works, with weaving melodies and pulsing rhythms. Tchaikovsky’s Les saisons, op. 37b, are sublime, impressionistic depictions of the seasons.
Prepare to be swept away on a masterful, musical journey.
