Introducing: Nora LeChat
Miss Mussel has been reading classical music blogs long enough to know that people have been aware of this emerging young pianist for some time. Her fearlessness in programming aleatoric music and finely honed instincts for pushing the boundaries of tonality are truly remarkable.
In her second public performance, it is obvious that Nora has matured. As all young artists eventually do, she has become aware of the performer Nora being separate from the personal Nora. The development of this dichotomy is a painful but necessary process and allows the musician to maintain their own identity away from their instrument.
Her improvisations are more discordant and insistent as if she is trying to assert her right to respected as an artist. In a brilliant post modern juxtaposition of high and low culture, Nora deftly interweaves the opening of Chopsticks with the finale of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Later on in the show, her regular duo partner initiates another improvisation session but there is a glaring divide in skill and imagination. Nevertheless, this is a delightful glimpse of what Miss Mussel feels is the latest in what has been most promising crop of talented, young pianists.
