If she wins this she has to go full HIP. 
Bach is still alive after the previous contestant’s attempted murder.
From what she did in the recital I heard (which had the VH Wedding March, transcendentals and all kinds of stuff) that would be terrible though. And I prefer the Artistically Inspired Performance style anyway. 
The current chick plays just like I had imagined all those 19th C countesses and duchesses. Neat, tidy, flowery and… poorly.
The Polonaise in G sharp minor works really well on the Erard. The Style Brilliante motives are crystal clear and float on the surface even with a heavy handed accompaniment.
These early Polonaises could probably be great pieces if they would be shortened to mazurka-length. 2/3 of the current length would be perfect.
The piano is helping her, she would sound worse on a Steinway. There have been a couple of times where I thought “wow, impressive effect”. But it’s not her, it’s the piano.
Yes, I think so too. That was in fact what got me started with this competition in the first place, when I tuned and Ablogin was playing 71#2. It sounded really good, and so unlike what I’m used to on a Steinway.
Yes, to her credit the 10#11 was better though. But I’m not aboard at all with this Ballade.
Something striking about her, and several other contestants too, is that she plays really slowly. I like it, but I have a feeling the rest of the SDC doesn’t. 
How do you know all this stuff? Are you in contact with people who know her?
I’m not particularly interested in HIP, but I studied with a HIPster and they are actually MUCH freer with the score than current pianists. He had me playing all these extra cadenzas, arpeggiating and overholding all over the place. It actually made me uncomfortable, since I was so used to just playing what was written. I should get my Dad to scan one of my scores as an example, they’re chock-full of markings.
Harsh generalization: the students who attend the HIP department usually aren’t the most pianistically gifted.
Well, I’m in touch with my friend who has hired her as piano teacher
Yes, it was a whole different time. It’s extra fun to follow this competition when I’ve just finished these chapters in Schonberg. I’ve mostly frowned at the pre-Lisztian pianists with coin on hands, fingers close to the keys etc, thinking they hadn’t “figured it out” yet, but when you hear this you understand why they did that with these pianos. It’s the way to go IMO.
This guy is pretty good
He was one of the public’s favourites in last regular Chop Comp. The “enfant terrible” who didn’t play to win.
Ah, that’s cool!
La Damiano is also a piano teacher, but I’m not going to take lessons from her (unless they’re lessons in love).
I guess it depends on the school. At mine, the most well known teacher was a fortepianist, so he tended to have the best students (even then he only had 3 when I was there). I think most people who turn to organ or fortepiano or harpsichord, having started out as pianists, do it in order to get gigs and have some sort of career. It’s a mad hustle to eek out a living as a professional musician, unless you wanna spend all your time teaching 7 year olds with pushy parents.
Sounds just like my type!
My favourite here so far is still Ablogin, but I’m seriously worried they’ll smoke him out for not fitting their image of a Chopin Competition winner. Being artistically gifted is usually considered unfortunate in these competitions.
I just realised I completely misinterpreted this the first time, I thought you meant she was taking care of one of her friends’ daughters (as in acting as a foster parent), not that she was teaching one of your friends’ daughters. I’m watching Ablogin on replay at the moment, but he’s not having the same effect on me that he had on you.
Who’s your pick Brew?
I dunno yet, have only listened to Klinton and Ablogin’s entire performance. Just started on Kawaguchi. I’m only planning to watch the people who’ve been recommended in this thread. Overall though, as a concept this is definitely a Chopin competition I can get behind. You wouldn’t hear an interpretation like Ablogin’s ballade 4 at the regular competition, where it’s all syrupy sentimentality (although he goes too far in the other direction imo).
Yes, that’s what I think has been fun with it. I don’t expect this to turn out the kind of musicians the regular competition would, but fun with all these unorthodox readings where phrasing, colour, timbre, touch etc are the main focus rather than the big sweeping gestures and pianistic prowess. I think it’s refreshing and interesting, although at the end of the day maybe primarily a diversion.