Welcome to the celebratory fifth anniversary edition of London Piano Festival 2020!
We are delighted to follow upon the successes of our four previous festivals with another uniquely exciting and widely contrasted series of piano performances all held in the vibrant, contemporary settings of Kings Place.
The festival opens with a recital by the masterly Russian pianist Vadym Kholodenko, widely regarded as one of the most distinctive players of the younger generation. An electrifying evening is promised by acclaimed Polish jazz pianist Marcin Wasilewski, whilst younger listeners can enjoy the riotous thrill of ‘Fabulous Beasts’ through the music of Stravinsky & Saint-Saëns, accompanied by dazzling visual imagery. This concert forms part of the year-long Nature Unwrapped series at Kings Place.
Music and words combine for two special events: a lecture-recital on symmetry by mathematician Marcus du Sautoy, coupled with Charles Owen’s performance of Bach’s Goldberg Variations. Beethoven 250 celebrations continue apace with an opportunity to discover insights into the music, historical background and fortepiano, as revealed by pianist & broadcaster David Owen Norris. This lecture links to Katya Apekisheva’s fascinating afternoon recital entitled ‘The Young Ludwig’.
The central event is the ever-popular Two-Piano Gala where six pianist friends will team up in various combinations to present a huge range of repertoire, from Mozart to Rachmaninov via Stravinsky’s ground-breaking The Rite of Spring, a further tribute to Nature Unwrapped. Our new co-commission for 2020 will feature music by Sally Beamish, a British composer with a deeply imaginative voice. We look forward to welcoming audiences to this festive occasion!
Charles Owen & Katya Apekisheva