Press

"Just as impressive was the solo recital of rarities by pianist Clarisse Teo, presently pursuing a musical doctorate at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. [...]

All three sonatas presented thorny technical and interpretive challenges, but Teo delivered with crispness and passionate aplomb."

"Clarisse Teo played the fourth Sonata alongside works by Xavier Montsalvatge and Vincent D'Indy and we hear the tumultuous finale here. I don't know the Sonata but it is growing on me after a few hearings; Teo brings out the startlingly contrasting moods and complex figures with ease though it was her dreamy playing of the meditativamente ma un poco piu that particularly held my attention."

"Clarisse Teo plays the final movement of the Sonata No.4, op.19. Despite the highly charged romantic sound of this music, it was composed as late as 1922 and revised in 1954. The music is rhapsodic, optimistic and ‘richly harmonised’. The only problem is that as this Sonata is a cyclic work, themes that were initially presented in earlier movements are now heard out of context. I have never been a fan or excerpting from Sonatas: each movement should be heard in context. That said, Clarisse Teo gives a cracking performance of this remarkable work."

"It was sheer audacity for young law graduate-turned-pianist Clarisse Teo to offer a programme of absolute esoterica in works by Mompou, Medtner, D'Indy, Alexandrov and Villa-Lobos, much in the hallowed tradition of the Rarities of Piano Music at the Schloss vor Husum festival in Germany.

That she conducted herself with utter confidence and supreme musicality was beyond doubt. Equally admirable was a sizeable audience that was totally enthralled by her performance and reciprocated with the same warmth and enthusiasm that she displayed."

"Clarisse Teo's recital consisted wholly of rarities or works unlikely to be heard at a conventional concert.

She is a law graduate who decided to pursue music full time at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow.

Her performance of Frenchman Vincent d'Indy's Theme Varie, Fugue Et Chanson and Soviet composer Anatoly Alexandrov's psychedelic Fourth Sonata displayed total confidence and a fearless disregard for their technical complexities, while making this arcane music sound fresh and natural."