[NoHo Arts District, CA] – A NoHo Arts music review of Inna Faliks’ “The Story of a Pianist” at The Athena Foundation for the Arts 2023 Spring Concert Series.
Inna Faliks performed her “The Story of a Pianist” in NoHo and played with a rare and uncompromising talent that demanded attention and I for one was more than willing to give it. The story of this pianist is as harrowing as it is adventurous. Each piece that was selected and played not only complemented her story but also punctuated the drama and emotion of leaving the USSR for a better life in the United States.
This virtuoso plays with such intensity and passion that, at times, you may forget to breathe. And at other times, she gently caresses the keys, applying just enough pressure to make the audience feel each and every note. Ms. Faliks’ understanding of the pieces she plays is not only technically flawless, but she also plays them as if they were being heard for the first time, as if they were made for us to listen. This fierce energy at the keyboard is balanced by the charm of her stories of a little girl playing on a kitchen table.
Ms. Faliks’ humble beginnings in Odessa, living in a three-room apartment housing seven people, gave no clue to the heights of her upcoming mastery of the piano. She shared with the audience the story of her enduring friendship and eventual marriage to her childhood friend, Misha. Her arrival in America and study at renowned institutions with instructors that would help nurture the brilliance of such a young woman. All this only partly explains the incredible talent of such a pianist. But her talents also lie in how she shares her music with us. She seduces us with thunderous passion and captivates us with her story of one young girl who is now living her dream and now sharing with us the story of her life, as well as her exquisite playing.
Inna Faliks gave us a wonderful performance. She’s a world-class pianist with a fascinating story and a beautiful soul. Bravo!