Alasdair Beatson & Viv McLean, piano 4 hands – SJE Arts International Piano Series
Schubert Marche Militaire D. 733, No. 1
Ravel Mother Goose Suite
Schubert Fantasy in F Minor D. 940
Interval
Stravinsky Rite of Spring
One keyboard, four hands and a programme that starts with a sprightly march and ends in the visceral excitement of Stravinsky’s ballet music – how better to banish the gloom of winter? And in between, Ravel’s charming suite of five piano pieces and the masterful Fantasy for piano four hands that Schubert composed in the last year of his life.
Alasdair Beatson has a career both as soloist and chamber musician. Last season’s engagements included appearances at Wigmore Hall, in concert with Steven Isserlis, Viktoria Mullova, the Doric and Maxwell string quartets, and as member of the Nash Ensemble. He also performs regularly at festivals such as Cheltenham, Spitalfields and Yellowbarn.
Winner of the 2002 Maria Canals Piano Competition in Barcelona, Viv McLean has performed across the UK and Europe, in Australia and the USA. He has been pianist-in-residence at the Glossop Festival since 2014 and regularly plays with the Le Page Trio. In Oxford, he is well known for his performances in the Oxford Coffee Concert series at the Holywell Music Room.
Alasdair and Viv gave a four hands concert at SJE Arts once before and it was a dazzling success. They make a brilliant pair and we welcome their return.