Yesterday was my performance of Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No.2 at The Winter Hall in Sochi. The concert went really well with a full house and some great reviews and tv reports (thanks!). As an encore I performed the theme to The Cafe Scene from Seventeen Moments of Spring by Mikael Tariverdiev, immediately followed by a complete performance of Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No.1. Never done that before!!

Also a huge thank you to ClassicFM in the UK for posting my rehearsal video!

Here are some links and clips from backstage.

 

 

 

 

Today I rehearsed Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No.2 with the Sochi Symphony Orchestra and conductor Maestro Anton Lubchenko. This was the first time I have ever played this piece with an orchestra! The performance is in two days…

As part of the 2019 Bury St. Edmunds Festival I will be giving a recital at The Apex Theatre in Bury St Edmunds later this year. I just received a copy of an article about the performance which will appear in the local press.

Today was very busy for me. I arrived in Sochi this morning at 8.30, went straight to a press interview, then to a full rehearsal of Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No.1. After that I met with Mr Anatoli Shostak, The Minister of Interior Affairs for Russia in Sochi. He was kind enough to spend some time with Conductor Maestro Anton Lubchenko and myself, discussing the importance of music and art in building relationships between the United Kingdom and Russia.

I hope that if we all work together we can make a difference.

I just got home from visiting Marcus Hubner Pianos in Trier, Germany. Marcus Hubner had selected two beautiful Steinway Model B pianos for me to try. They were both wonderful instruments and it was a real problem for me to choose between them. I took some time afterwards to have a look around the city of Luxembourg, would love to spend a little more time exploring here!

And… today is the 88th day of the year, otherwise known as World Piano Day!