Music for
Friends: the South London Concert Series
By Frances Wilson
The South London Concert Series is a unique new concert concept, created
and curated by myself and fellow pianist, harpsichordist and piano teacher
Lorraine Liyanage, in which we offer professional and amateur pianists the
opportunity to perform in the same formal concert setting.
The series developed out of the London Piano Meetup Group, which we took
over hosting in May 2013. The group, run via Meetup, a social networking platform
which allows people with shared interests to plan events and get together, had
been rather dormant up to this point, but it has now been transformed into a
lively and friendly “club” for amateur pianists, with monthly performance
platforms, masterclasses and workshops with visiting teachers and professional
pianists, concerts and courses, and social events in and around London.
Lorraine and
I met in September 2011 on a weekend course hosted by my teacher, Penelope
Roskell. We hit it off almost immediately, not least because we were both
working for diplomas and had the same two pieces by Liszt and Messiaen in our
programmes. Talking during the coffee and lunch breaks on the course, we
discovered a mutual love of all things piano, in particular a desire to support
and inspire amateur pianists to perform, share repertoire and meet other
like-minded people.
‘We both enjoy
performing and we love meeting other pianists!’ says Lorraine, who is very
active in her local community in south-east London, running the busy and
successful SE22 Piano School and
Dulwich Music Festival (now entering its third year). ‘We set up the London
Piano Meetup Group because we felt amateur pianists lack opportunities to
perform, particularly on a really fine piano and before an audience.’
In many
ways, I have Lorraine to thank for encouraging me to start performing regularly
again (something I had not done since school in the 1980s), and the
opportunities she gave me – at her student concerts, and via the London Piano
Salon (the precursor to the London Piano Meetup Group) – undoubtedly helped me
gain confidence and an ability to communicate with an audience which led to
success in both of my performance Diplomas. I understand the value of being
able to put repertoire before a non-critical audience, whether in advance of an
exam, festival or concert, or simply to share music.
I come
across many amateur pianists who are extremely talented, who play at what can
be considered a “professional” standard in terms of repertoire, technique and
artistic flare, but who have chosen a career path other than music. Many of
these pianists lack performance opportunities: our Meetup group provides
regular performance experience in a central London location, enabling pianists
of all levels to put repertoire before an informal and friendly audience in a
supportive and encouraging environment (most events are held at Peregrine’s
Pianos). Our events are nearly always sold out almost as soon as they are
advertised, and the feedback afterwards is incredibly positive. We enjoy a
varied range of repertoire, from Baroque to contemporary classical and jazz,
and we often extend the meeting into the pub afterwards, where the “piano chat”
can continue over a glass or two of wine.
The South London Concert Series is our latest initiative. The idea
grew out of the London Piano Meetup Group's launch event in May 2013, at which
Emmanuel Vass, a prize-winning recent graduate from the Royal Northern College
of Music, gave a short recital, including his stunning Lisztian ‘James Bond
Concert Étude’ (his own “mash up” of three iconic themes from the James Bond
films, complete with sparkling cadenzas and vertiginous virtuoso passages). It
was so popular with members, especially the opportunity to meet and talk to
Emmanuel afterwards, that we decided to extend the format.
Keen to support
young and emerging musicians, and pianists focusing on lesser-known and
rarely-played repertoire, we hope the series will provide a unique way of
presenting classical and contemporary music in an intimate venue. My many
conversations with professional pianists reveal, by and large, a great
willingness to support and inspire amateurs, for we are all quite humble when
we sit at the keyboard. Lorraine and I hope that by bringing together
professional and amateur pianists in the same concert setting we can provide
opportunities for young musicians (students in conservatoire or people who are
just embarking on a professional career) while also offering inspiration and
encouragement to amateur pianists.
The concert
format is quite simple: an hour of music, including a recital by a guest artist
of around 30 minutes, followed by socialising and a chance for everyone to meet
the performers. The venue, the beautiful 1901 Arts Club near Waterloo Station,
is ideal for this: it recreates a nineteenth-century salon in its décor and
ambiance, and boasts a fine Steinway C grand piano. We hope the atmosphere will
be very much one of “music for friends and amongst friends”.
The South
London Concert Series launches on Friday 29th November 2013 at
the 1901 Arts Club with a recital by Helen Burford, featuring works
by Satoh, Magi, Butler and Rakowski, and guest performances by Susan
Pickerill, Daniel Roberts, Emma Heseltine and Mark Zarb-Adami. Future concerts
will include performances by pianists Emmanuel Vass and Angelo Villani.
Tickets cost
£15 and are by application only: please contact southlondonconcerts@gmail.com
to apply for tickets. The 1901 Arts Club's exclusive bar and lounge will be
open for the enjoyment of ticketholders after the concert.
South London
Concert Series
Twitter:
@SLConcerts
London Piano
Meetup Group
Twitter:
@LonPianoMeetup
Frances Wilson is a pianist, piano teacher, concert reviewer and
blogger on music and pianism as The
Cross-Eyed Pianist. Twitter @CrossEyedPiano
