Mini-Dress Clad Pianist Wows Hollywood Bowl, Sparks Debate
The Los Angeles Philharmonic enforces a strict, specific dress code for orchestra members, including several codes depending on time of day and season. However, these dress codes do not apply to soloists.
"For women that's traditionally an evening gown," said an L.A. Phil representative, "but that's not always the case."
This was exactly not the case when 24-year-old pianist Yuja Wang took to the Hollywood Bowl stage earlier this month. Clad in an "orange, thigh-grazing, body-hugging dress atop sparkly gold strappy stiletto sandals," Wang apparently had "necks craning, tongues wagging and flashbulbs popping," according to LA Times.
Mark Swed, Times music critic, reviewed the show, praising Wang's "delicacy, speed and grace at the piano." He also examined the pianist's gams attire.
"Her dress Tuesday was so short and tight that had there been any less of it, the Bowl might have been forced to restrict admission to any music lover under 18 not accompanied by an adult," wrote Swed.
His keen observation sparked a "spirited debate" among music critics and bloggers as to what "constitutes appropriate concert attire" and whether or not comments concerning a performer's garb belong in a music review.
"A performer can do anything and everything to present their music in any way they see fit. And therefore, what the performer presents has to be regarded as a total whole. It's much more important that it's genuine self expression," said Cameron Carpenter, a 30-year-old Grammy-nominated musician.
Gerald Klickstein, a University of North Carolina School for the Arts faculty member and author of The Musician's Way: A Guide to Practice, Performance, and Wellness, concurred.
"She is a magnificent pianist … She's playing in L.A., she's 24, she's a soloist, and there's a lot of excitement in her playing that's being conveyed through her attire. I think it's terrific that she's expressing herself from the stage, and taking full advantage of the visual aspects of a live performance."
Klickstein also added that commenting on a performer's attire is fair game in a music review.
Some argued that Wang chose her wardrobe to distract from her performance. Mary Davis, a music professor, chairwoman of the department of music at Case Western Reserve University and author of several books exploring convergence of music and fashion, disagreed.
"I think the idea that what somebody's wearing will so distract you that you will not be able to pay attention to their performance seems absurd. When she sits down at the piano and starts playing like a maniac, you're going to pay attention to what she's playing. If you're not, you probably shouldn't be there in the first place."
One thing is Two things are certain - Wang's 24-year-young bod impresses as do her key-pounding skills. But who's judging her? Oh, right - everyone.
