Sophie Yu Meng – Piano

Sophie was the winner of the first Hampshire Young Pianist Award, which took place at Peter Symonds College in January 2025. This concert opportunity was given as part of her prize as the winner. She also received a trophy.

Toccata in E minor, BWV 914 

J.S. Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period, known for his prolific compositions across a variety of instruments and forms. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers in the history of Western classical music.

The seven ‘manualiter’ toccatas (played only with the hands) belong to Bach’s earlier works and clearly echo the North German keyboard school of his upbringing. The Toccata in E minor is the shortest of them and is structured in four sections that flow seamlessly into one another, as was typical in seventeenth-century keyboard music.

The work opens with a short and simple Prelude featuring a striking motif, followed by an elegant double fugue. A capricious Adagio section provides contrast before the piece concludes with a second, more brilliant fugue.

Étude Op. 10, No. 5 in G♭ major (“black key Étude”）

Frédéric Chopin

Frédéric Chopin was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic era who wrote primarily for solo piano. He has maintained worldwide renown as a leading composer whose “poetic genius was based on a professional technique that was without equal in his generation.”

Composed in 1830, this so-called “Black Key Étude” is one of Chopin’s most popular works, characterized by rapid triplet figuration played almost entirely on the black keys (with only a single F♮ in bar 66). It has since become a staple of the piano repertoire and has inspired numerous exercises, arrangements, and paraphrases.

Étude Op. 10, No 3 in E major (“Tristesse”)

Frédéric Chopin

This piece is a slow cantabile study for polyphonic and expressive legato playing. Chopin himself believed it contained one of the most beautiful melodies he had ever composed, reportedly saying he “had never in his life written another such beautiful melody.” Frederick Niecks, the German scholar and Chopin biographer, wrote that the study “may be reckoned among Chopin’s loveliest compositions” as it “combines classical chasteness of contour with the fragrance of romanticism.” With its leisurely tempo, this work marks a significant departure from the purely technical virtuosity required in études before Chopin’s time.

Ochos Valses Poéticos

Enrique Granados

Enrique Granados was a Spanish pianist, composer, and music educator whose compositional style was heavily influenced by the music and culture of his native Spain. He founded his own piano school, the Academia Granados, and wrote primarily for piano, though he also composed songs, chamber music, and operas.

This work consists of eight short movements, including an introduction and coda. The waltzes move between beautiful lyricism, deep melancholy, and energetic bursts, showcasing the pianist’s technical capability while producing contrasting dynamics between movements. Listen for recurring melodic motifs that appear throughout the different sections, as well as the unifying elements of similar keys and character.

Pour le piano, L. 95, No. 1: Prelude

Claude Debussy 

Claude Debussy was a French composer often considered the first Impressionist due to his innovative use of techniques such as the pentatonic scale and unconventional harmonies. He was among the most influential composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Pour le piano is a three-movement suite for solo piano, consisting of Prélude, Sarabande, and Toccata. The Prélude was dedicated to Debussy’s student, Mlle Worms de Romilly, who commented that the movement “evokes the gongs and music of Java”—an influence you can hear in the middle section of this piece. Pour le piano marked a key turning point in Debussy’s creative evolution as he experimented with new compositional approaches that would define his mature style.

Biography 

Sophie Meng is currently a Year 9 student at St Swithun’s School who began learning piano at age six under the guidance of Dr. Freni Cha. She achieved her Grade 8 with distinction at age 10 and her ARSM with distinction at age 12, demonstrating exceptional musical aptitude from an early age.

Sophie has been a prizewinner in numerous international competitions, including De Bach au Jazz in Athens and the WPTA Portugal. She has also achieved remarkable success in local music festivals, winning multiple first prizes in Southampton, Portsmouth, and Fareham. Her outstanding achievements include being awarded Best Performance in the entire Junior Piano Category and winning the Hampshire Young Pianist Award.

Sophie has had the privilege of participating in masterclasses with renowned pianists such as Professor Philip Jenkins and Dr. Samantha Carrasco. These experiences have inspired and enriched her musical abilities while encouraging her to pursue her musical dreams for the future.

Beyond piano, Sophie also demonstrates her versatility as a musician by playing violin at Grade 8 level.