In the run-up to my participation in Liszt Utrecht 2022, I spoke with Sandra Kooke from Trouw about the man Liszt, his music, and the competition.
Will you improve your piano playing by studying Liszt's works?
'Yes, because Liszt constantly presents you with new challenges. In virtuosic passages, you learn technical tricks; you also learn a lot about arm tension and relaxation, as well as the use of your arm's weight. For this competition edition, you have to perform song arrangements by Schubert. The challenge is to bring out both the vocal line and the piano accompaniment. And how do you make the melody as lyrical as possible?'