Conner's virtuosity brings out the best in Chopin

HEATHER CONNER, PIANO, Vieve Gore Concert Hall, Westminster College, Nov. 15

Playing the music of Frédéric Chopin demands a pianist with refined sensibilities to capture its nuances and many layers. And someone like Heather Conner certainly has what it takes to do justice to the music.

Her finely textured playing is the kind that allows for subtlety in interpretation so vital to bringing out what Chopin expresses. And Conner also brings remarkable musicality and stunning virtuosity to her playing.

The University of Utah faculty member had the chance to show off what she can do with Chopin's music at Monday's closing concert of Westminster College's two-season-long tribute to the great Polish-French composer.

For her recital, Conner chose an interesting program that, while not including many of the genres Chopin wrote in, such as the mazurkas, nevertheless presented a well rounded portrait of the 19th century musician.

The first half of the recital opened with the two nocturnes of the op. 62 set. Conner brought feeling and expressiveness to her fluid and beautifully crafted playing that captured the rich romanticism of the music wonderfully.

The Polonaise-Fantaisie, op. 61, followed the nocturnes. Conner captured the scope of the piece with her bold playing that always had an underlying lyricism to it.

She rounded out the first part with another dramatic work, the Polonaise, op. 44. It's not a timid piece, and Conner certainly played up its boldness with her energetic and vibrant, yet lyrical, account.

The well known Barcarolle, op. 60, started things rolling in the second half. Conner's playing was sonorous and rich. It was a vibrant reading that flowed with nicely molded phrases and expressions.

The evening ended too soon with the famous Andante Spianato and Grand Polonaise, op. 22. A true showpiece, Conner nevertheless played it with lyricism. The Andante, in fact, was mesmerizing for the seductive expressiveness Conner brought to it, while she played up the grandness of the Polonaise with her large, sweeping gestures, bold lines and finely tuned dynamics.

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