“Taken as a whole, Beethoven’s body of work represents the greatest evidence of man’s triumph over adversity.” These words by Robert Ziegler were highlighted by the three-day music gala — organized by the Yuva Music Festival on September 12-14 — commemorating Beethoven’s 250th birth anniversary. Like Beethoven, who rebelled against the classical structure, the concert did away with the stereotype of an established location and opened itself up to explore music across continents.

Early compositions like Für Elise, performed by Clara Liu (Taiwan), and Sonatina in G Major, performed by Peter Chao (Singapore), were played with youthful charm. As Beethoven’s musical journey evolves, his sonatas display a distinctive voice, as evidenced in Moonlight Sonata, the first movement of which was played with precision by Vashu Tangri (India). Sonata Opus 54 No. 22 was executed with complexity by Kanishka (India/Italy) and underlined the dramatic intensity and range of the piano.

The concert was a beautiful commentary on Beethoven’s majestic talent and how, in challenging times, the world will always need its spirit.