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As 2023 draws to a close, it's been a busy time for my compositions and arrangements. The piano concerto "The Legend of Maritime Silk Road" has received four performances now - three in China and the last in St. Petersburg. I arranged the anthem for the recent COP 28 meeting in Dubai, and the Landestheater in Schleswig Holstein are including my arrangement of Libertango in seven performances over Christmas. Two new albums of short piano pieces "Nordic Echos" and "Wonder" are now available on all streaming platforms.
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 My piano concerto "The Legend of Maritime Silk Road" will be premiered in China on July 22nd. Claudia Yang will be accompanied by the China Philharmonic Orchestra. The work was commissioned by the Silk Road International Arts Centre and is a tribute to the Association of South East Asian Nations. Folksongs from the eleven nations are woven into the work which is 28 minutes long.  "Found in Dreams", out this week, contains two new short pieces for clarinet and piano "dreaming of Summer" and "Deep reflections" played beautifully by Helen Habershon. The disc is available on the Divine Art Label.
 The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra recently gave two concerts with Ksenija Sidorova performing "Oblivion" in my version for Accordion and Violin with strings. She was joined by the orchestras concert master Stefani Matsuo.
 I am delighted that, following her successful performances of the "New World Concerto" over Christmas, the marvellous Malaysian pianist Claudia Yang has asked me to write a new work to be premiered at the ASEAN conference in China during September this year. The work will be based on folk melodies from the ASEAN countries (Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar, Brunei, Indonesia, Thailand ).
The Harbin Symphony Orchestra will perform and live stream the "New World Concerto" with Claudia Yang as soloist. Also in China,Maksim Mrvirca is currently on an extensive tour playing many of my arrangements for him. Here he is playing the Nutcracker Fantasy with Sergei Polunin dancing. Also, Ksenija Sidirova will once again perform Libertango with the Brussels Philharmonic on Jan 7 and 9.  Ksenija Sidorova will once again play my free arrangement of "Libertango", and this time it's at the last night of the Proms on Saturday September 11th.. Can't wait to hear it in the Royal Albert Hall (and it's also live on BBC Television!)
 The Chetham's International Summer School for pianists took place and I was delighted to take part again teaching piano and improvisation as well as giving two concerts Hall of silent films at the magnificent Stoller Hall. Excerpts from my original scores for "The phantom of the Opera" and Laurel and Hardy in "Big Business" were heard as well as plenty of free improvising to the films. Great fun!
 My two "Songs without Words" for piano were heard for the first time in a recital given with Huw Wiggin at the Absolute Classics festival in August. Also in the same concert,, my new arrangement of Piazzolla's "Escualo" for soprano saxophone and piano received its first performance..
 JULY 14th - Libertango performed by Ksenija Sidorova at the Concert de Paris
The Concert de Paris, held at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. It is one of the largest classical music events held anywhere in the world and is followed by a spectacular fireworks display, attracting thousands of live spectators. The concert is broadcast on France Inter, on France 2, and to 3.13m people, and upwards of 10m around Europe. This year I am proud and excited to say that my arrangement of Piazzolla's "Libertango" will be performed by Ksenija Sidorova and the Orchestre National de France conducted by Simone Young. |
