“THIS IS someone who can really give the mechanical box of wires and wood a singing soul.” So said The Daily Telegraph about the British pianist James Lisney.
James Lisney is coming to Galway for 200 Years of Chopin and Schumann, his mini-residency of concerts, workshops, and a lecture, in the Aula Maxima, NUI Galway, from Tuesday February 9 to Thursday 11.
The first concert takes place on Tuesday at 1.10pm and will feature Schumann’s ‘Chopin’ from Carnaval Op 9 and Fasschingsswank aus Wien, Op 26, and Chopin’s Two Nocturnes Op 55, Impromptu Op 51, and Andante spianato et Grande Polonaise Brillante, Op 22. Tickets are €10/6.
The next concert will be on Thursday 11 at 8pm and feature Chopin’s Fantasie in F minor Op 49 and the Piano Sonata no 3 Op 58 and Schumann’s Arabeske in C Op 18 and Fantasie in C Op 17.
Mr Lisney will also give two piano workshops with local students. The workshops are also open to the public. These take place from 5pm to 7pm on Tuesday and Wednesday. Admission is free.
He will also give a public lecture entitled Learning from Chopin on Wednesday at 7.30pm. The lecture is aimed at those who enjoy piano music whether they themselves play or not. Admission is also free.
An internationally celebrated musician, Mr Lisney takes a welcome ‘music for the people’ approach to classical music. He tries to ensure it is experienced within communities, with audiences who feel they are an integral part of the occasion, and where the impact of great music is not diluted by over-formality or too-large performance spaces.
A great performer and admirer of the Franco-Polish composer Frédéric Chopin, Mr Lisney defines himself as a ‘Great-grand pupil of Chopin’.
The event is organised by Music for Galway in association with Múscailt. Tickets are €20/16/6, except where stated, from Music for Galway (091 - 705962 ), Opus II, The Cornstore, or through www.tht.ie
