Piano magic performed by master musician Jun Bouterey-Ishido

Jun Bouterey-Ishido. Photo / Carlos Pinho

Jun Bouterey-Ishido / Solo Piano
Chamber Music Whanganui Concert Saturday, February 21 / Concert Chamber
Reviewed by Albert Sword

An excellent programme for a Sunday afternoon. The weather was stunning outside but not one person inside the Concert Chamber wanted to be in the beautiful sun. Beautiful music was being made inside the chamber.

Hayden's E flat sonata was paired with Chopin; two waltzes and three mazurkas. Classical through romantic, and that was just the first half of the concert.

After a short interval, Jun Bouterey-Ishido played the moderns: Debussy's Masques, to splice the programme seamlessly into Szymanowski (my favourite) - finishing with a hauntingly lyrical offering from Ligeti: Etudes 2 and 5. B-I encored with Bartok, a favourite composer for him, and everyone in the very enthusiastic audience felt they had received superb, adult readings of each composer.

What a programme. What a performer! Jun Bouterey-Ishido is well known to Whanganui audiences, performances in the concert chamber and opera house have amazed and delighted, and those who know about piano magic must have noticed the enormous depth of technique this young (ish — grey hairs were becoming evident!) master musician has amassed and perfected.

His interpretations of the classical repertoire are so full of his personal energy, one wonders if new opus numbers have been discovered. From this reviewer's point of view, a huge compliment.

Jun's readings of the modern, 20cy repertoire show great depth of knowledge and a true understanding of difficult and demanding music, an understanding and energy that makes the modern repertoire truly accessible to a mixed audience; we are infected by his obvious joy.

Hate to finish on a negative note, but the 'resident' concert piano is not a good enough instrument for such a programme and for such an accomplished performer.

Pianos are percussion instruments, true, but this piano makes up its own percussion accompaniment with noisy, clacking pedals and non-musical 'tic-tics' where the upmost notes should be. For such a good venue and superb performer, a better piano should be provided.

The Whanganui District Council is always supportive of getting excellent professional musicians into town. We have the venues, and we must provide superb instruments for the best performers.