Shai Wosner makes his debut appearance at Kings Place with Aurora Orchestra for a programme of dazzling virtuosity including Ligeti’s Piano Concerto.

The pianist comes in many guises: the flamboyant solo virtuoso, the chamber musician, the concerto soloist. This dazzling programme explores each of these varied facets and more in the company of the supremely versatile Shai Wosner.

At the heart of the programme is a work never previously been performed at Kings Place – Ligeti’s Piano Concerto, a musical rollercoaster of stunning intricacy described by the composer as his most technically demanding and complex score. Wosner also performs Philip Glass’ minimalist landmark Mad Rush – a work of indeterminate length originally created to mark the Dalai Lama’s first visit to North America – and appears as soloist for Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 12, heard here in the composer’s own arrangement for piano and string quartet. Also featured is Hindemith’s cartoon-like Kammermusik No. 1, and an arrangement for ensemble of one of Conlon Nancarrow’s impossibly fiendish studies for player piano.

‘Wosner’s performance of Ligeti’s Piano Concerto is a wowzer.  You ideally need two brains and three hands to play this piece well.  Wosner makes it sound easy, the rattling cross rhythms effortless, the sheer musicality drawing you in.’ Graham Rickson, Arts Desk 

Pre-concert talk: 6.15pm, St Pancras Room
Nicholas Collon talks to Aurora Orchestra’s Chief Executive John Harte about the work at the heart of the evening’s concert programme – Ligeti’s extraordinary Chamber Concerto – which he has recently recorded with soloist Shai Wosner to great critical acclaim with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra.

Tickets for the pre-concert talk are free but limited and need to be booked via the Box Office: 020 7520 1440.

Find out more about the highlights of the 2017 season in our podcast featuring Aurora’s Principal Conductor Nicholas Collon.