Canada’s Rubinstein winner opens Carnegie recital with Hatikvah
NewsThe young Canadian pianist Kevin Chen, winner of the 17th Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition in Tel Aviv seven months ago, made a change to his programme last night at Carnegie Hall.
In an act of solidarity he opened, unannounced, with the Israel national anthem, Hatikvah.
Watch: Kevin Chen opens his concert at @carnegiehall with Hatikva, Israel’s anthem, paying tribute to the Israeli victims murdered and those who are being held hostage by Hamas.
Thank you. pic.twitter.com/kQzfagaqK0
— Israel ישראל 🇮🇱 (@Israel) October 20, 2023
May I suggest that the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra invite Kevin Chen to replace the pro-Hamas Fazil Say in their forthcoming European tour? Musicians like Say siding with evil must bear the consequences and orchestras are judged by their moral stance.
Great pianist with his heart in the right place
Magnificent recital!!!
This is one of the most moving gestures of solidarity I have seen in a long time. As it should be. The horrors we have read of and watched done to the Israeli people in the last days are beyond comprensible, excusable, inhuman or justified. There is no place for equivocation in this dark and sinister new chapter of their traumatic history. Hamas are monsters taking pleasure in carrying out their psychopathic, evil and deranged fantasies. Thank you to this young artist for having the courage and empathy to make his position known. There will be many who thank him for his gesture and others who will tell him to “shut up and play”. Well, this is music with a message -the most powerful and sincere expression of our high art. Bravo.
Thank you Kevin Chen!!
You’re a wonderful pianist, and a wonderful human being!
Keep politics out of music! We learnt to do this with the Russian war, and we can certainly do it here.
Every act, every note is political.
Hm, well, ok, I guess that was nice for the Jews in the audience. Does anyone else even want to hear it?
Speak fo yourself, heartless object. I can not call you human.
You must have missed the lessons on topics such as we are all on one species occupying the same planet; and fights anywhere on the planet impact us all.
I don’t want to hear you yet you’re still able to speak.
Very moving. And nicely played. Wonderful to hear so many of the audience sing along to it. Made it magical, and yet did more than any “statement” could to reach out to those suffering through this appalling time.
What about suffering Palestinians?
I am never unsympathetic to them, and consistently have said so.
Their suffering because of Hamas and because they support it.
Kol Ha-kavod!
Ceasefire NOW!
And a safe return of all hostages!
The ceasefire should be conditioned on the return of the hostages. It is the only leverage you have against Hamas
Fascinating. Especially the number of people in the audience who sang along with it. A cultured people.
Not sure who you mean by “a cultured people.” If you mean Americans in general, I doubt many of them would recognise this piece. If you are drawing attention to the fact that a substantial portion of the audience is Jewish, I would think that is hardly surprising at a New York City piano recital. If you mean it is “cultured” of them to know the most famous of Jewish anthems, you are right. But is it any more “cultured” than for football players to sing along with their national anthems or, in a case of solidarity after the French attack a few years ago, the anthem of another nation?
Beautiful.
Beautiful. Solidarity with Israel is the right thing to show. The performance of Hatikvah displays that . Other artists should display the same moral clarity, particularly given the threat that Israel faces.
Kevin Chen has a Western Canadian teacher..a Professor of Music who has been a classical pianist and winner of competitions herself
Thank you for your solidarity, Kevin. Each gesture and action means the world to us.
Music is an art form outside of politics, race, sex, religion, nationality. Unlike literature and painting. Let us keep it that way and boycott anyone who wants to drag their political or racial views into musical recitals.
If “music is an art form outside of [sic] politics,” then Hatikvah is simply a musical choice by this player. Your point?
“…simply a musical choice…”, really?
At Carnegie in New York City, just over a week after what happened on 7 Oct??
It’s a calculated choice!!
I cried listening and watching this.
A beautiful moment–reassuring to witness!
Thank you.we are so hurt broken, not only because of the massacre but Olson from the world reaction. so it makes me cry ever time to see someone who is sympathetic to us